FARMINGTON — Farmington has been named a 2015 Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation in honor of its commitment to effective urban forest management.

Started in 1976, the Tree City USA program, sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters, is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.

Farmington achieved Tree City USA recognition by meeting the program’s four requirements of having 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.

“Tree City USA communities see the impact an urban forest has in a community firsthand,” said Dan Lambe, president of the Arbor Day Foundation. 

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 cooling costs, remove air pollutants and provide wildlife habitat. 

FMI: arborday.org/TreeCityUSA.