Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection

Connecticut's Tree Cities USA 

Bridgeport Tree City 2013 - Fairfield Avenue

Tree planting along Fairfield Avenue median in Bridgeport, CT.

As of 2023, Connecticut has 19 Tree Cities and 4 Tree Campuses as designated by the Arbor Day Foundation. 

How can a municipality obtain Tree City USA recognition?

In order to be eligible, a municipality must meet four standards:

  • Standard 1 - A Tree Board or a Department
    Someone must be legally responsible for the care of all trees on city- or town-owned properties. By delegating tree care decisions to a professional forester, arborist, city department, citizen-led tree board or some combination, city leaders determine who will perform necessary tree work.
  • Standard 2 - A Tree Care Ordinance
    A basic public tree care ordinance forms the foundation of a city's tree care program. You can review some examples of tree ordinances in Connecticut here. 
  • Standard 3 - A Community Tree Care Program with an Annual Budget of at Least $2 Per Capita
    By providing support at or above the $2 per capita minimum, a community demonstrates its commitment to grow and tend these valuable public assets.
  • Standard 4 - An Arbor Day Observance and Proclamation
    An effective program for community trees would not be complete without an annual Arbor Day ceremony.

In comparison to communities throughout the rest of the country, Connecticut's cities and towns have an advantage towards achieving these Standards because Connecticut state law requires that each city and town have a tree warden appointed who has "care and control" of all public trees. In 2013, the state legislature added the requirement that tree wardens must be qualified. This effectively means that all municipalities in the state that are in compliance with state law have automatically met Standard 1 and Standard 2.

How to Apply for Tree City USA status:

Applications for Tree City USA are based on the activities of the previous calendar or fiscal year and are due annually by January 13.

Application materials are available from the Arbor Day Foundation's website. This website also includes such helpful materials as sample Arbor Day proclamations and worksheets for determining per capita tree expenses.  

For more information contact:  

Danica Doroski, Urban Forestry Coordinator
Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
79 Elm St. Hartford, CT 06106
danica.doroski@ct.gov
860-424-3814

Tree Campus USA celebration on UConn campus.

Tree Campus USA celebration on the University of Connecticut campus. 

Content last updated in April 29, 2024.