This is the City’s 46th consecutive Tree USA Award
Tuesday, April 9, 2024 — The City of Falls Church has been named a Tree City USA community by the Arbor Day Foundation for the 46th year in a row. The City will celebrate the honor on Saturday, April 20, with an Arbor Day ceremony at 1 p.m. at the field of Oak Street Elementary. The rain date for Arbor Day is Sunday, April 21.
The 2024 Tree of the Year, selected by the City of Falls Church Urban Forestry Commission, is the Shumard Oak (Quercus shumardii). This tree was selected for its rarity in the City’s urban forest, the numerous insects it hosts, and its ability to survive in many different soil and water conditions.
Since 1974, the City has held an official celebration of Arbor Day during the month of April, and the City Council proclaimed Saturday, April 20, as Arbor Day in the City of Falls Church at their meeting on April 8.
About Tree City USA and the Arbor Day Foundation
To become a Tree City USA community, the City of Falls Church fulfills the four standards required:
- Tree Board or Department – The City of Falls Church’s five-member Tree Commission makes recommendations on relevant legislation, plans, policies, and programs. It also advises the City Arborist, City Council, and City Manager on tree-related matters.
- Tree Care Ordinance – The City has two ordinances that pertain to the preservation and replacement of trees on private and public grounds.
- Comprehensive Community Forestry Program – The City’s Urban Forestry Division ensures the City has a viable tree canopy.
- Arbor Day Observance – Falls Church has celebrated Arbor Day every year since 1892, usually with a ceremony and tree planting.
The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters.
Help Plant City Trees at Forest Fest
Ahead of the Arbor Day celebration and in honor of the City’s 75th anniversary, the Urban Forestry Program is planting 750 native sapling trees to reforest City parks!
Volunteer to help plant trees during Forest Fest:
- Friday, April 12, from noon to 3 p.m. at Isaac Crossman Park
- Saturday, April 13, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Isaac Crossman Park
- Tuesday, April 16, from 9 a.m. to noon at Howard Herman Park
- Wednesday. April 17, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Howard Herman Park
Forest Fest is free and open to the public. Tools and training will be provided. Please register at fallschurchva.gov/ForestFest. The rain date is Thursday, April 18, at 11:00 a.m. at Howard Herman Park.
For questions or additional information about either event, please contact the City arborist at arborist@fallschurchva.gov.
