By Lindsey Iorg
The National Arbor Day Foundation presented the city of Orem with its eleventh consecutive Tree City USA Award.
'A tree city like Orem shows a real respect for their urban forest and a strong sense of civic pride,' said Gary Brienzo, a spokesman for the National Arbor Day Foundation.
Scott Ziedler, Wasatch Front community forester, presented the award to the city of Orem at a city council meeting May 11. He said he thinks the standards Orem has set for community forestry is a key to taking advantage of the positive influence trees offer.
'Trees add to the quality of life where we live,' Ziedler said. 'A community forestry program like Orem''s contributes to developing and managing the forest resource wisely.'
Orem qualified for the award by meeting four essential standards: establishing a tree board or department, instituting a tree care ordinance, providing a budget to support tree care and participating in an annual Arbor Day activity.
In April, Orem city officials observed Arbor Day by planting a dozen trees in the city''s new park, Neilson''s Grove. City council and public works representatives attended the observance, showing the importance of urban forestry in the city.
Currently, Orem actively manages approximately 5,000 trees, and that number is increasing each year.
'Trees serve many purposes,' said Marty Sheide, urban forester for Orem. 'Aesthetically, they are very pleasing and they add beauty to our community.'
Trees benefit communities by providing shade, keeping the air clean, holding soil in place and operating as noise buffers. Studies also prove that hospitalized patients heal better when trees serve as a visual from their hospital window, Sheide said.
The Tree City Award is given annually to cities that submit an application to their National Arbor Day Foundation state representative. The state representative then contacts the Foundation''s headquarters in Nebraska City, Neb. After consideration, the National Arbor Day Foundation decides what cities deserve the award.
The National Arbor Day Foundation projects that approximately 40 cities in Utah will receive the award this year and 3,000 cities nationwide.
Brienzo said he believes cities that implement and care for urban forestry are those looking towards the future.
'Trees cities often show a commitment to trees as part of the landscape and the infrastructure of their communities,' Brienzo said.