HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019 Tree City USA&_ - ' CArbor Dav Foundatioir
iCEiVED
City onsieer's Office
JAN 0 6 2020
City Manager Paul Carlisle
1225 Main St.
Sebastian, FL 32958
Dear Tree City USA Supporter,
On behalf of the Arbor -Day Foundation, I write to congratulate Sebastian on earning recognition as a 2019
Tree City USA and for receiving a Growth Award. Residents of Sebastian should be proud to live in a
community that makes the planting and care of trees a priority.
Sebastian is one of more than 3,600 Tree City USAs, with a combined population of 155 million. The Tree
City USA program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service
and the National Association of State Foresters.
If ever there was a time for trees, now is that time. Communities worldwide are facing issues with air
quality, water resources, personal health and well-being, and energy use. Sebastian is stepping up to do its
part. As a result of your commitment to effective urban forest management, you are helping to provide a
solution to these challenges.
We hope you are excited to share this accomplishment. Enclosed in this packet is a press release for your
convenience as you prepare to contact local media and the public.
State foresters coordinate the presentation of the Tree City USA recognition materials. We will forward
information about your awards to your state forester's office to facilitate presentation. It would be
especially appropriate to make the Tree City USA award a part of your community's Arbor Day ceremony.
Again, we celebrate your commitment to the people and trees of Sebastian and thank you for helping to
create a healthier planet for all of us.
Best Regards,
Dan Lambe
President
cc: Kimberly Haigler
enclosure
For more information, contact: Arbor Da Foundation'
Danny Colin, 402-473-9563 V
dcohn@arborday.org arborday.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Arbor Day Foundation Names Sebastian Tree City USA@, Growth
Award Winner
Lincoln, Neb. (December 20, 2019) Sebastian, Florida was named a 2019 Tree City USA by the
Arbor Day Foundation in honor of its commitment to effective urban forest management.
The community also received a Tree City USA Growth Award for demonstrating environmental
improvement and higher level of tree care.
Sebastian achieved Tree City USA recognition by meeting the program's four requirements: a tree
board or department, a tree -care ordinance, an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per
capita and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.
The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation, in partnership with the U.S.
Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters.
"Tree City USA communities see the positive effects of an urban forest firsthand," said Dan Lambe,
president of the Arbor Day Foundation. "The trees being planted and cared for by Sebastian are
ensuring that generations to come will enjoy to a better quality of life. Additionally, participation in this
program brings residents together and creates a sense of civic pride, whether it's through volunteer
engagement or public education."
If ever there was a time for trees, now is that time. Communities worldwide are facing issues with air
quality, water resources, personal health and well-being, energy use, and protection from extreme heat
and flooding. The Arbor Day Foundation recently launched the Time for Trees initiative to address these
issues, with unprecedented goals of planting 100 million trees in forests and communities and inspiring
5 million tree planters by 2022. With Tree City USA recognition, City has demonstrated a commitment
to effective urban forest management and doing its part to help address these challenges for City
residents now and in the future.
More information on the program is available at arborday.ora/TreeCitvUSA.
About the Arbor Day Foundation: The Arbor Day Foundation is a million member nonprofit
conservation and education organization with the mission to inspire people to plant, nurture, and
celebrate trees. More information can be found at arborday.org.