Tree City USA

The City of Falls Church has the honor of being a Tree City USA, as designated by the National Arbor Day Foundation. See the Arbor Day announcement recognizing our 2020 Tree City USA designation, which marks 42 years in a row! 

The distinction honors the city's commitment to community forestry. In fact, the City was the first community in Virginia to be recognized as a Tree City and has the longest state record for this annual national award.
Becoming a Tree City USA Community
The Arbor Day Foundation manages the national Tree City USA program. Communities achieve Tree City USA status by meeting four core standards of sound urban forestry management: maintaining a tree board or department, having a community tree ordinance, spending at least $2 per capita on urban forestry and celebrating Arbor Day.

The City fulfills these standards by:
  1. Maintaining the five-member Tree Commission, which makes recommendations on relevant legislation, plans, policies, and programs. It also advises the City Arborist, City Council, and City Manager on tree-related matters;
  2. Abiding by two ordinances that pertain to the preservation and replacement of trees on private and public grounds;
  3. Managing a comprehensive community forestry program via the Urban Forestry Division;
  4. Observing Arbor Day -- Falls Church has celebrated Arbor Day every year since 1892 on the third Friday of April.

Arbor Day 2021

Due to the ongoing pandemic, the 2021 Arbor Day celebration will again be virtual. Speakers from Davey Tree Experts, the Virginia Department of Forestry, VPIS, and the City Council will appear in an Arbor Day celebration video, which is scheduled to premiere on Saturday, April 24, 2021. The event will also unveil the City's new tree inventory platform, which will allow anyone to use their smartphone to identify the species and prominence of most trees in The Little City.