Tree City USA: Florence

The City of Florence has earned Tree City USA recognition for six years in a row! By participating in the Arbor Day Foundation's oldest program, Florence is helping to contribute to a greener, healthier America.

Florence is one of more than 3400 communities that participate in the Tree City USA Program. Through the Tree City USA program our community is being provided with a four-step framework to maintain and grow our tree cover. In order to keep our Tree City USA designation Florence must meet these four standards:

1. Maintain a tree board or department (within the City of Florence our Environmental Management Advisory Committee [EMAC] serves as our tree board).

2. Have a community tree ordinance.

3. Spend at least $2 per capita on urban forestry.

4. Celebrate Arbor Day. Every year EMAC celebrates Arbor Day!

What is a Tree City? 

Tree City is a program sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters. It provides direction, technical assistance, public attention and national recognition for urban and community forestry programs.

What are the benefits of being a Tree City? 

• It creates a framework for action by providing standards to help a community get started on annual, systematic management of its tree resources.  
• It provides education from the state's forester staff which can be in the form of technical advice, literature, films, and other assistance.
• It tells residents and visitors that our community cares about its environment.
• Trees are the principle generators of pure oxygen and they clean pollutants from the air.
• Trees purify ground water and stabilize the soil.
• Trees reduce energy costs by providing shade in the summer and blocking winds in the winter.
• Trees can add value to real estate.
• Trees are a refuge for wildlife

For more information about the Tree City USA program please visit the Arbor Day Foundation website here.