City honored for commitment to trees

COEUR d'ALENE - The Arbor Day Foundation has named Coeur d'Alene a 2012 Tree City USA, the 29th year the city has received the national designation.

The award will be presented Saturday at a community-wide Arbor Day celebration at Cherry Hill Park.

The Foundation is honoring Coeur d'Alene's commitment to effective urban forest management. In addition, it has given Coeur d'Alene a Tree City USA Growth Award for demonstrating environmental improvement and a higher level of tree care.

"We are proud to receive this recognition," said Mayor Sandi Bloem. "We have worked hard over the years to create and maintain a beautiful community and a healthy environment for our residents."

Coeur d'Alene 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.

"Everyone benefits when elected officials, volunteers and committed citizens in communities like Coeur d'Alene make smart investments in urban forests," said John Rosenow, founder and chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. "Trees bring shade to our homes and beauty to our neighborhoods, along with numerous economic, social and environmental benefits."

Celebrating Arbor Day:

- Fourth-grade students in the Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls and Lakeland school districts will receive tree seedlings. The seedlings were purchased with donations from local timber industry companies, tree services and nurseries. Along with the seedlings, the students will receive an Arbor Day button, designed by Alura Waters of Coeur d'Alene High School. Waters won the Arbor Day button art contest.

- Friday is Idaho's official Arbor Day. The Master Gardeners will celebrate by giving out free tree seedlings at the Hayden, Rathdrum, Post Falls, Spirit Lake and Athol libraries.

- Coeur d'Alene will host a community-wide Arbor Day celebration at Cherry Hill Park on Saturday at 9 a.m. It will start with a free pancake breakfast sponsored by Sun Valley Tree Service. A ceremony takes place at 9:45 a.m. where the winners of the Arbor Day button art and poster contests will be recognized. Coeur d'Alene will also be presented with the Tree City USA award and Growth Award from the National Arbor Day Foundation.