Tree City USA

The Division of Forestry administers the Tree City USA program in Florida. Information about the program is available on the Arbor Day Foundation website and the Division of Forestry website. City and county governments, as well as federal military bases, are eligible for certification. To qualify, they must have a designated tree board, advocacy group, or department in charge of tree management. They must also have an enforced tree ordinance, work plan with an annual budget of at least $2.00 per capita and an annual Arbor Day celebration.

For those who go above and beyond the call of duty, there is the Tree City USA Growth Award. Certified communities who spend at least as much as they did the previous year on their urban tree program can qualify. In addition, they must either initiate new tree management activities, or expand their current activities over the previous year.

Florida’s newest Tree City USA additions:

• Anna Maria
• Bonita Springs
• Cutler Bay
• Manatee County
• Montverde
• Parkland
• Jacksonville

This brings our state total to 153 Tree City USA communities. The following communities in Florida were certified as Tree City USA's for 2009. New applicants are always welcomed.

An application for certification or re-certification can be downloaded in PDF format directly from the Arbor Day Foundation. Completed Tree City USA applications should be sent to:

Florida Division of Forestry
Forest Management Bureau
3125 Conner Boulevard, C-25
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1650

For further information, please contact Charlie Marcus, Urban Forestry Coordinator for the Florida Division of Forestry, via E-mail marcusc@doacs.state.fl.us or by calling 850-921-0300.

Tree Campus USA

The Tree Campus USA program recognizes college and university campuses that effectively manage their campus trees; develop connectivity with the community beyond campus borders to foster healthy, urban forests; and strive to engage their student population utilizing service learning opportunities centered on campus, and community, forestry efforts. For further information, please visit the Arbor Day Foundation or Florida Division of Forestry web sites.

Tree Line USA

The Arbor Day Foundation, in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters, recognizes public and private utilities that demonstrate practices that protect and enhance America's urban forests. The Tree Line USA program promotes the dual goals of safe, reliable electric service and abundant, healthy trees across utility service areas. For further information, please visit the Arbor Day Foundation web site.

Florida Tree Line USA 2009 participants include:

• Florida Keys Electric Cooperative
• Florida Power and Light
• Gainesville Regional Utilities
• Lakeland Electric
• Ocala Electric Utility
• Orlando Utilities Commission
• Progress Energy
• Sumter Electric Cooperative
• Tallahassee Electric
• Tampa Electric

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