By Keysha Drexel
Journal editor
The Arbor Day Foundation says the residents of Mountain Brook “ought to be proud to live in a community that makes the planting and care of trees a priority.”
And for making trees a priority, the city has earned recognition as a 2013 Tree City USA.
This is the 20th consecutive year Mountain Brook has earned the designation from the Arbor Day Foundation.
The city achieved the designation by meeting the Tree City USA program’s four requirements, which include having a tree board or department, a tree care ordinance on the books, an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.
Mountain Brook has a city tree commission and a full-time city forester, Don Cafaro. The city also hosts an Arbor Day tree giveaway each year.
Cafaro, who has been on the job in Mountain Brook for about nine years, said the award shows the importance city leaders and officials have placed on taking care of its trees.
“It not only shows the level of commitment of the city officials but also the advocacy of the residents and the work of volunteers like the people on the city’s tree commission,” he said.
Cafaro said the city has a wonderful resource in its trees and forests that can’t be ignored.
“The tree canopy within the city limits is upward of 80 percent,” he said. “The city is very blessed to have that much coverage.”
And that’s not just because the trees beautify Mountain Brook, Cafaro said.
“It’s about more than aesthetics,” he said. “Maintaining the trees is also important for the safety of Mountain Brook’s pedestrians and motorists.”
Mountain Brook also recently won the foundation’s Growth Award “for demonstrating environmental improvement and higher level of tree care,” according to an award letter from the Arbor Foundation.
This is the 12th consecutive year Mountain Brook has won the Arbor Day Foundation’s Growth Award.
“Everyone benefits when elected officials, volunteers and committed citizens in communities like Mountain Brook make smart investments in urban forests,” said John Rosenow, Arbor Day Foundation founder and chief executive officer. “Trees bring shade to our homes and beauty to our neighborhoods along with numerous economic, social and environmental benefits.”
The city’s annual Arbor Day Celebration will from 9-11 a.m. on March 8. The Mountain Brook Tree Commission will distribute close to 2,000 tree seedlings at the Emmet O’Neal Library in Crestline Village, Piggly Wiggly at River Run, Western Supermarket in Mountain Brook Village and Whole Foods at Cahaba Village.
This year’s selection of free tree seedlings includes roughleaf dogwood, eastern redbud, white oak, sweetbay magnolia and longleaf pine.
In honor of Arbor Day, Cafaro and the tree commission members will visit Mountain Brook elementary schools to share fun and interesting facts about trees with the students and to talk about the importance of trees. The students will also be given dogwood seedlings they can plant at home.
For more information on Mountain Brook’s Arbor Day celebration, visit www.mtnbrook.org.
