Springfield achieved Tree City USA recognition by meeting the program’s four requirements: a tree board or department, a tree care ordinance, an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation, according to a city of Springfield press release.
The city’s Arbor Day ceremony is slated for April 29 at 10 a.m. at Warder Park-Wayne Elementary School.
Springfield was among the first Tree City USA recipients when the program began in 1976, and has maintained its designation every year since., according to the release.
Trees provide multiple benefits to a community when properly planted and maintained. They help to improve the visual appeal of a neighborhood, increase property values, reduce home energy costs, remove air pollutants and provide wildlife habitat, among many other benefits, the city said.
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