Fall River Receives Award From The National Arbor Day Foundation

By Mary Ann Wordell

Left to Right - Stephen Burrington, DCR Commissioner; Ricahrd Kitchen, Director of Fall River Parks & Cemeteries;

Mary Ann Wordell, Coordinator & President of Fall River Street Tree Planting Program; James Smith, Director

of Fall River Municipal Services; Jim De Maio, Chief Forester DCR Bureau of Forestry.

    The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) presented 80 communities with 2006 Tree City USA Awards in a ceremony at the Worcester Ecotarium.  DCR Commissioner Stephen H. Burrington presented the national awards, sponsored by the National Arbor Day Foundation in recognition of communities of any size that are making a commitment to community and urban forestry.

    Fall River is a first-time Tree City USA community and was honored along with Blackstone, Boxford, Lanesborough, Northhampton and Pittsfield.

    Tree City USA Awards recognize communities which meet four standards, including having a tree board or tree department, spending at least $2 per capita on urban forestry, enforcing laws that protect public trees and holding an Arbor Day celebration.