For the third year in a row and the 10th year overall, the city of Danville has been recognized as a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation, which sponsors the program in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters.

“The point is to green up cities and different towns,” said Alexis Amorese Sheffield, Horticulture Agent for the Boyle County Cooperative Extension program, and the tree contact for the Tree City USA program. Sheffield puts in the application each year for the city.

Overall, Danville has been named a Tree City USA for 10 years, however, Sheffield said that was not 10 in a row. This is the third time in three years.

Sheffield has been in Boyle County as the horticulture agent for four years now and said the Danville Beautification Committee asked to begin applying again. She is a member of the board.

There are more than 3,400 Tree City USAs, according to a letter from Dan Lambe, president of the Arbor Day Foundation.

“As a result of your commitment to effective urban forest management, you already know that trees are vital to the public infrastructure of cities and towns throughout the country, providing numerous environmental, social and economic benefits. In fact, tress are the one piece of community infrastructure that actually increases in value over time,” the letter states. 

The recognition was presented during a Danville City Commission meeting on April 10. 

To be a Tree City USA, the city must have a tree board or department, which it does through the Beautification Committee; must have a tree-care ordinance; an annual community budget of at least $2 per capita; and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation, which was on Oct. 21, Sheffield said.

“Our goal is to do it again this year,” she said. 

At last year’s event, there were activities for children, opportunities for community members to learn  about trees and be involved in donations toward installation of new trees.

Through the efforts for Tree City USA, the city has also been able to obtain a grant called Plant for the Planet from Kentucky Utilities for at least three years, Sheffield said. 

“It’s been a big thing,” she said.

Centre College and Bluegrass Community and Technical College are each a Tree Campus USA.

“Having both of those involved has really been a great thing for our urban forestry initiative,” Sheffield said.

If anyone is interested in learning more about the types of trees that would work best in their yards, how to maintain their trees and more, they can contact Sheffield at the Boyle County Extension Office at (859) 236-4484.

Follow Kendra Peek on Twitter, @knpeek.

SO YOU KNOW

To learn more about the Tree City USA program, visit arborday.org/TreeCityUSA.

Alexis Amorese Sheffield, Horticulture Agent for the Boyle County Cooperative Extension program, and the “tree contact” for the Tree City USA program, can help those interested in learning more about the types of trees that would work best in their yards and how to maintain their trees. Contact her at the Boyle County Extension Office at (859) 236-4484.