Trees & Landscaping - Service Contact

Lanscaping Old Towne Augusta
Trees & Landscaping

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For eleven years, Augusta the "Garden City," held the status of Tree City USA through the National Arbor Day Foundation. The title was lost in 1996, when the city and county governments consolidated, due to failure to meet Tree City USA guidelines. To receive the title of Tree City USA a city must meet or exceed four standards set forth by The National Arbor Day Foundation. With the dramatically increased population from 40,000 to 200,000, the Garden City was unable to meet one of the standards which required $2.00 per capita to be allocated for Urban Forestry programs. In the year 2000, the budgeting allocations were satisfied and Augusta restored its Tree City USA designation, and continues to maintain this distinction.

The National Arbor Day Foundation Standards:

Standard 1: A Tree Board or Department

A tree board is a group of concerned citizens, usually volunteer, charged by ordinance to develop and administer a comprehensive community tree management program for the care of trees on public property. Tree boards usually function with the aid of professional foresters. In communities with a population of more then 10,000, city forestry departments with salaried employees are often feasible. These departments may or may not be supported by advisory boards or administrative commissions.

(This standard met with the Augusta-Richmond County Tree Commission and the Trees and Landscape Department.)

Standard 2: A Community Tree Ordinance:

The community tree ordinance needs to designate the tree board or department and give them the responsibility for writing and implementing the annual community forestry work plan. The ordinance should determine public tree care policies for planting , maintenance, and removals. Ideally, the city tree ordinance will make provisions for establishing and updating a list of recommended street tree species to be planted with spacing and location requirements. A sample tree ordinance may be obtained by writing The National Arbor Day Foundation.

(This standard met with Augusta-Richmond County's Tree Ordinance.)

Standard 3: A Community Forestry Program with an Annual Budget of at least $2.00 per capita.

Many communities begin their program by taking an inventory of the trees growing on public property. The species, location, and condition of each tree are noted (i.e. healthy, needs pruning, should be removed, etc.) and the inventory data is summarized in a written report for presentation and approval by the city council. The report should be a objective analysis of the present state of the urban forest with recommendations for future management. The essential, ongoing activity for the care of trees along streets, in parks, and in other public places is the community forestry program. The annual work plan should address planting, watering and fertilizing, dead and hazardous tree removal, safety and fine pruning, and insect and disease control. To be named as a TREE CITY USA, a town or city must annually spend at least $2.00 per capita for its annual community forestry program. Consider all funds spent for tree care - budget for street tree department or board, park department's tree expenditures, dead tree removal, etc.

Standard 4: An Arbor Day Observance and Proclamation

An Arbor Day observance can be simple and brief or an all-day or all-week observance. A proclamation issued by the mayor must accompany the observance and declare the observance of Arbor Day in your community. You can obtain a free "Celebrate Arbor Day!" packet by writing The National Arbor Day Foundation. Along with ideas for celebrating the holiday, the packet contains a sample proclamation.

(Annually Arbor Day is observed at Pendleton King Park. Each year a tree is established and dedicated to outstanding individuals who promote urban forestry in the Augusta area. The event highlights include tree seedling give-a-ways, guest speakers, tree demonstrations, and a proclamation read by the Mayor of Augusta.)