Tree City USA

Auburn is recognized as a TREE CITY USA. The TREE CITY USA program is designed to recognize communities that effectively manage their urban forest and meet the four TREE CITY USA standards. Auburn has continually been selected for this national recognition for effectively managing its urban trees as a valuable natural resource. Maintaining this national status shows that the City and citizens recognize that urban trees are closely linked to our quality of life and take pride in working together as stewards to preserve and enhance the urban forest.

The National Arbor Day Foundation, in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service and Washington State Department of Natural Resources' Urban and Community Forestry Program, recognizes towns and cities across Washington and the United States that meet the standards of the TREE CITY USA program.

Auburn must meet these four standards:

• Have an established legal tree governing body (Auburn's Tree Board),
• Maintain a comprehensive community forestry program that spends at least $2 per capita on the urban forest,
• Maintain a tree care ordinance, and
• Hold an annual Arbor Day Observance and Proclamation (celebrated locally on the second Wednesday in April).

TREE CITY USA is an ongoing community improvement program, and the designation is awarded each year. Ongoing recognition not only contributes to our community's pride, but also keeps us in touch with other cities and resources, which can help to improve our program.