2006 Tree City USA Growth Award

Official Site of the Government of Stevens Point, Wisconsin

Division of Urban Forestry

Stevens Point Receives 2006 Tree City USA and Growth Award

The City of Stevens Point has received the Tree City USA designation for the 26th time, and has received the Growth Award for the eighth time (seven years in a row) from the National Arbor Day Foundation.

To qualify as a Tree City USA, municipalities must have a Tree Board, adopt a Community Tree Ordinance, have a Community Forestry Program, and have an Arbor Day Celebration.

The Growth Award was created to recognize environmental improvements and higher levels of tree care in Tree City USA communities. Stevens Point is receiving the Growth Award for its efforts in the following areas:

Tree Care Workshop. The City of Stevens Point Forestry Department hosted a program on "Oak Wilt and its Control" which was open to the public and held on the site of an active oak wilt pocket. Oak wilt disease was discussed, and a demonstration of control measures, including oak tree injections and trenching, followed. The city contracted First Choice Tree Care to help with the program which will occur again in 2007.

Wildlife Habitat Improvement. In September, the City of Stevens Point Forestry Department hosted its first Invasive Shrub Removal Workday. The shrubs we were targeting for removal were buckthorn and exotic honeysuckle which are taking over the under story of the natural areas in Iverson Park and posing a threat to native plant and animal ecosystems. Removing these shrubs is going to be a long term commitment, and is going to require community involvement in order to be successful.

Special Tree Planting Project The City of Stevens Point received its 25th Tree City USA award in 2006, and the City wanted to celebrate this milestone. The Stevens Point Forestry Department evolved in large part due to the devastation caused by Dutch elm disease many years ago. Today, there are types of American elms which are highly resistant to Dutch elm disease. One of these trees is the American Liberty elm, grown by the Elm Research Institute (ERI) in Massachusetts. The City of Stevens Point, worked out a deal with the ERI where for every 2" dbh Liberty elm that residents, businesses, or organizations purchased, the ERI donated a 2" dbh Liberty elm to the city. Our goal was to receive 25 donated American Liberty elms for 25 years as a Tree City USA.

The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the National Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters and the USDA Forest Service.

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Stevens Point Receives 2006 Tree City USA and Growth Award The City of Stevens Point has received the Tree City USA designation for the 26th time, and has received the Growth Award for the eighth time (seven years in a row) from the National Arbor Day Foundation. To qualify as a Tree City USA, municipalities must have a Tree Board, adopt a Community Tree Ordinance, have a Community Forestry Program, and have an Arbor Day Celebration. The Growth Award was created to recognize environmental improvements and higher levels of tree care in Tree City USA communities. Stevens Point is receiving the Growth Award for its efforts in the following areas: Tree Care Workshop. The City of Stevens Point Forestry Department hosted a program on "Oak Wilt and its Control" which was open to the public and held on the site of an active oak wilt pocket. Oak wilt disease was discussed, and a demonstration of control measures, including oak tree injections and trenching, followed. The city contracted First Choice Tree Care to help with the program which will occur again in 2007. Wildlife Habitat Improvement. In September, the City of Stevens Point Forestry Department hosted its first Invasive Shrub Removal Workday. The shrubs we were targeting for removal were buckthorn and exotic honeysuckle which are taking over the under story of the natural areas in Iverson Park and posing a threat to native plant and animal ecosystems. Removing these shrubs is going to be a long term commitment, and is going to require community involvement in order to be successful. Special Tree Planting Project The City of Stevens Point received its 25th Tree City USA award in 2006, and the City wanted to celebrate this milestone. The Stevens Point Forestry Department evolved in large part due to the devastation caused by Dutch elm disease many years ago. Today, there are types of American elms which are highly resistant to Dutch elm disease. One of these trees is the American Liberty elm, grown by the Elm Research Institute (ERI) in Massachusetts. The City of Stevens Point, worked out a deal with the ERI where for every 2" dbh Liberty elm that residents, businesses, or organizations purchased, the ERI donated a 2" dbh Liberty elm to the city. Our goal was to receive 25 donated American Liberty elms for 25 years as a Tree City USA.


The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the National Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters and the USDA Forest Service.