BURLINGTON, Iowa — The city of Burlington has been named one of three Iowan Tree Cities of the World at the 2024 Urban Forestry Awards luncheon.
Burlington was joined by Decorah and Des Moines as this year's award recipients, presented by the Arbor Day Foundation and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Burlington was also honored as one of several Tree City USA and Tree City USA Growth award recipients.
To qualify as a Tree City of the World, a town much have taken the 'first step' toward achieving a green vision for the area. This includes meeting five core standards:
- Responsibility for the care of trees
- Official policy that governs the management of forests and trees
- Updated inventory or assessment
- A dedicated annual budget for the routine implementation of the tree management plan
- An annual celebration of trees
Burlington received its award on April 4 at the FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny.
City Forester, Patrick Moore, joined The Current on News 8 to discuss the importance of tree care to Burlington, how much money is allocated to tree care and what tree he recommends if you're looking to plant one of your own. You can watch the full interview in the above video.
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