HomeMy WebLinkAboutTree City USA-1996 Tree City excitement branches out
E , Several to join 6 Orange, Seminole cities in protecting trees
vvELCOM T 0 :7".
By Elaine Bennett
OF THE SENTINEL STAFF Tree Cities are branching out
Trees add not only grace and
character to cities but also a note Orange County:
of class.
INTER SPRINGS
Some trees are even highly re Orlando
• gazded as landmarks. Winter Park
• Those are only some of the rea-
• - 7 Seminole County:
• Sil•0 • _,,. .y Altamonte Springs. , ia
Oviedo
i Il Sanford
• Winter Springs
TREE CITY USA
\atloaai Ariror non'io...'ndMion •
Thinking green
Orange and Seminole counties are gaining Tree Cities, which
? YOUR ENVIRONMENT are designated by the National Arbor Day Foundation. These
-# I cities must be concerned with trees in their community, en-
{ sons six cities in Seminole and force a tree ordinance, establish a tree board and celebrate
Orange counties have come up Arbor Day holidays, which this year are Jan. 17 and April 24.
with extensive tree-protection pro-
•„�..
I grams that have gained them na-
tional recognition.
A third city in Orange is expect-
ed to apply for the designation as department, adopting a communi- ing to place Florida fourth in the
a Tree City USA later this year, ty tree ordinance and initiating a nation for number of cities award-
. and several others in the two- community forestry program. ed the designation, said Seminole
. county area are interested. Cities participating in the pro- County urban forester Mike Mar-
• Awarded by the National Arbor gram also spend at least $2 for tin. Ohio, with 135 Tree Cities, is
Day Foundation in Nebraska, the each resident on forestry pro- first, followed by California with
DEWS WALL/SENTINEL Tree City USA name has been giv- grams that include tree giveaways 97 and Illinois with 86.
en to more than 1,200 cities na- and tree beautification projects. Locally, the Tree City USA
Tree City USA participants get a plaque, a program flag tionwide for celebrating Arbor Statewide, 79 cities were hon-
and program signs at the entrances to their communities. Day, establishing a tree board or ored this year as Tree Cities, help- Please see TREES, 1-4
Interest in Tree City
plan branches out
TREES from I-1
name has been awarded to Alta-
monte Springs, Oviedo, Sanford
and Winter Springs in Seminole
County and Orlando and Winter
Park in Orange County.
Except for Oviedo, each of those
cities had been named a Tree City Having trees like those, as well
USA in the past. Oviedo learned as being able to offer forestry pro-
only recently it, too. had received grams and receiving the Tree City
the honor. USA designation,"is a good feath-
"Receiving this honor is some- er in our cap," Kittsley said. "It is
thing we believe is really impor- a glowing commendation."
tant," said Oviedo City Manager Tree City USA began as a 1976
Gene Williford. "The environment Bicentennial project co-sponsored --
is a major concern of the City Coun- by the National Association of State tion for approval.
cil and city staff, and we hope this Foresters and the U.S. Forest Ser- According to foresters, trees
will be a representation to others vice. The National League of Cities help generate higher appraisal
that we are dedicated to making and the U.S. Conference of Mayors values on property and higher
Oviedo a better place to live." have since joined that effort. buyer appeal, and they help keep
Other local cities also are interest- Cities must apply each year to down cooling bills in summer and
ed in becoming a Tree City.Apopka be a Tree City. The application is heating bills in winter.
in Orange County is finalizing its sent to the state forester, who re- In most Tree Cities, builders and
tree ordinance and is expected to views the petition and forwards it developers must get a permit to re-
submit its application to the founda- to the National Arbor Day Founda- move trees during construction.
tion in December. Maitland and
Ocoee in Orange County and Lake
Mary and Longwood in Seminole
County also are interested.
"Trees mean a lot of things,"
said Orlando urban forester An-
drew Kittsley. "They are pleasing
to look at. They are homes for
wildlife. They help filter our air.
They provide wind blocks and
shade. And their psychological ef-
fect is that they seem to make
people feel at ease and calm."
Larger and older trees are high-
ly respected.
In Longwood, hundreds of visi-
tors each year go to Big Tree Park
in Longwood to see one of the na-
tion's oldest trees,the 3,500-year-old
bald cypress named The Senator.
In Orlando's Loch Haven Park,
visitors are attracted to the 67-
foot-tall live oak called The Mayor, /�
which Kittsley said has a 150-foot
canopy and is considered one of
the most perfectly shaped trees of
its species.__