In 2008, Gresham was named a
Tree City USA community by the National Arbor Day Foundation. The City earned the honor by making a special effort to preserve its thousands of street trees and manage the City’s urban forest.
This ongoing community improvement program shows that the City, residents and elected officials recognize that urban trees are closely linked to the community’s 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 Oregon Department of Forestry, recognizes cities across Oregon and the United States that meet the standards of the Tree City USA program.
Gresham must apply for the award each year and strives to meet these four standards:
- Have an established legal tree governing body (Urban Forestry Subcommittee)
- Maintain a comprehensive urban forestry program that spends at least $2 per capita on the urban forest
- Maintain a tree care ordinance (
Section 9.1000 of the Development Code - Tree Regulations and
Appendix 14 - Significant Trees)
- Hold an annual Arbor Day Observance and Proclamation (celebrated locally the first full week of April)
Ongoing recognition not only contributes to community pride but also keeps Gresham in touch with other cities and resources.