Greenwich Recognized As 2023 Tree City USA By Arbor Day Foundation

GREENWICH, CT — The town of Greenwich has been recognized as a 2023 Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation.

The town has earned the designation for the past six years after applying for the program, which provides communities with a four-step framework to maintain and grow their tree cover, according to the Arbor Day Foundation website.

It also gives municipalities a way to celebrate their work and their commitment to the mission of environmental change.

"Over the last few years, the value and importance of trees has become increasingly clear," said Arbor Day Foundation Chief Executive Dan Lambe in a letter to First Selectman Fred Camillo. "Cities and towns across the globe are facing issues with air quality, water resources, personal health and well-being, and energy use. Greenwich has taken steps to create a brighter, greener future."

Camillo told Patch the designation means a lot to the town and the Greenwich Tree Conservancy.

"If you're flying over to Westchester Airport, Greenwich sticks out. It's very green, and I know the tree conservancy has been doing a really good job along with our tree warden, Greg Kramer, to plant as many trees as possible that certainly don't interfere with wires, sightlines, or anything like that," Camillo added.

"If you go to towns where there are not many trees or much greenery, you really can see the difference when you compare to a town like Greenwich. We're very, very proud of that."

Camillo said the town is working with the state and hopes to plant 500 or so trees along the Post Road from the Stamford border to the Port Chester, N.Y., border, to make "a really nice tree-lined boulevard."

"This is a continuing endeavor of the town to replace trees when they're dead, diseased or dying, and taken down, and also looking at other places where we can plant trees that not only produce beauty, but they also have health benefits as we all know. It's a win-win for the town," Camillo said of the designation.

Greenwich Tree Conservancy Executive Director Kate Dzikiewicz said the group is "very proud" to have been granted Tree City USA designation for 2023.

"It represents an acknowledgment of the hard work across the entire Greenwich community to protect and preserve our local trees," Dzikiewicz said. "Trees are a vital part of public health, town character, and environmental protection, and Greenwich is very lucky to have such high levels of public engagement in tree protection."

To receive annual Tree City recognition, towns must meet four overarching standards, including:

1. Maintaining a tree board or department
2. Having a community tree ordinance
3. Spending at least $2 per capita on urban forestry
4. Celebrating Arbor Day

"This year, we will celebrate Arbor Day at North Mianus School and will be planting several trees as a gift to current and future students of the school," Dzikiewicz added.

The celebration and a reading of a proclamation is scheduled for 12 p.m. on April 24. The official date for Arbor Day is April 26.

Second graders at North Mianus School are beginning a science unit called "Interdependence in Ecosystems," according to Principal Kathleen Ramirez. Students are learning about seed dispersal, pollination and taking care of the earth.

"The planting of the tree for Arbor Day will allow them for their future years at North Mianus School to watch the tree change for each season and grow," Ramirez said. "Our entire NMS community can benefit, not only from its beauty, but the oxygen it will provide and the shade it will embrace us with on a hot summer day."

According to the Arbor Day Foundation, the first Tree City USA designees were comprised of 42 communities in 16 states.

Today, the program includes more than 3,600 communities from all 50 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico.

For more on the Arbor Day Foundation and the Tree City USA Program, click here.