Orlando was named a Tree City by the Arbor Day Foundation. The Tree City USA program started in 1976 as a way to encourage cities to expand their public trees.
There are four standards to being named a Tree City, which include:
• Having a tree board or department.
• A tree care ordinance.
• A community forestry program with an annual budget of at least $2 per capita.
• An Arbor Day observance or proclamation.
There are over 3,400 communities that have made this commitment to becoming a Tree City USA. Orlando is the longest-running active city in the state, with 44 years.
– Katie Householder, On 3 Public Relations