Oregon gets Tree City USA designation just in time for Arbor Day

OREGON — Oregon is officially a Tree City USA.

During the April 23 Oregon City Council meeting, City Manager Darin DeHaan presented Mayor Ken Williams with a plaque honoring the city’s designation, which was received last month.

“This has been a project that we started in 2021,” DeHaan said. “I’m proud of our community, proud of our mayor’s leadership and glad to present him this plaque.”

Getting the designation is a big deal, Williams said.

“In small, rural communities like Oregon, you always think of the tree-lined streets and the trees in the summer, and we feel like a community,” he said. “I love that. I’m glad we’re doing that, and I know we have resources set aside to help fund our tree policy and some of the things going with that.”

Tree City USA was created by the Arbor Day Foundation in 1976, according to ArborDay.org. A community can receive annual Tree City recognition by meeting four overarching standards:

1. Maintain a tree board or department.

City Council members unanimously voted to create the Oregon Tree Board on June 28, 2022. Members of the board met three times prior to its official creation.

2. Having a community tree ordinance.

A tree preservation regulations ordinance was unanimously approved by council members on Nov. 8, 2022.

3. Spending at least $2 per resident on urban forestry.

Oregon has a population of 3,604 according to the 2020 census, which means the city must spend at least $7,208 on tree removals, pruning and plantings annually.

In 2023, the city got a $4,700 grant to conduct a tree inventory, something which hadn’t been done since 1998.

4. Celebrating Arbor Day.

Illinois observes Arbor Day on the last Friday in April.

City officials were planning to plant a tree at the city’s wastewater treatment plant on Friday afternoon, but are rescheduling because of weather, DeHaan said. A new date has not yet been chosen.

Oregon was unable to gain Tree City USA status in 2023 because of deadlines.