Red Bank’s still growing strong, treewise. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
Press release from Borough of Red Bank
The Arbor Day Foundation has announced that Red Bank has been named a Tree City USA community for 2016, to honor its commitment to community forestry. It is the tenth year that Red Bank has received this national honor from the Arbor Day Foundation, the nation’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to planting trees.
The borough has met the four standards necessary to qualify for the Tree City USA program, sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters and the USDA Forest Service. According to requirements, Tree City communities must have a tree board or department, a tree-care ordinance, a community forestry program with annual expenditures of at least $2 per capita, and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.
“We all benefit when communities like Red Bank place a high priority on planting and caring for trees, one of our nation’s most beautiful resources,” said John Rosnow, Chief Executive and Founder of the Arbor Day Foundation. “We applaud Red Bank’s elected officials, volunteers and citizens for providing vital care for its urban forest.”
The Foundation’s founder went on to explain that “Trees shade our homes and add beauty to our neighborhoods, and they also provide many environmental, economic and social benefits,” a list that includes:
• Promoting healthier communities by filtering the air we breathe by removing dust and other particles.
• Moderating climate, conserve water and provide habitat or wildlife.
• Reducing the heat island effect in urban areas caused by pavement and buildings.
• Reducing energy use and increase property values.
More information about Tree City USA can be found at www.arborday.org/TreeCityUSA.
