By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
Nephi will be a Tree City USA, a nationwide movement that provides the framework necessary for communities to manage and expand their public trees. The Tree City USA program has been greening up cities and towns across America since 1976 and more than 3,400 communities have made the commitment to becoming a Tree City USA. They have achieved 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. Phil Baker, city superintendent of the parks and cemeteries department and a certified arborist, was present for the discussion. In February of last year, a representative from the Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands attended a council meeting and spoke about urban tree care and becoming a Tree City USA. “Since that time, our Nephi Parks and Cemeteries department has worked hard to put together a tree inventory and is currently working on a tree management plan,” said Seth Atkinson, city administrator. “With these things in place and the current practices of the department, the city has qualified to become a Tree City USA. The inventory can be entered on GIS.” The only thing needed from this point to become an official Tree City USA is an ordinance to establish an Urban Forestry Policy. The policy the city council had before them defined an urban forest and established an urban forestry department and an urban forester. “Both of our Parks and Cemeteries employees are certified arborists,” said Atkinson. “One of the roles of the Urban Forester would be to review any projects or plans that affect trees in the defined urban forest.” The proposal from the Parks and Cemeteries department also happens to coincide with a recently received award from the Utah Community Forestry Council (UCFC). “The staff recently received the following email regarding this award: Nephi City has been chosen to receive this year’s Community of the Year award from the Utah Community Forestry Council (UCFC),” said Atkinson. The UCFC is the official Utah Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture, and it functions as a non-profit organization that advocates for proper management and care of Utah’s community forests through partnerships, and public and professional education. “I think it is wonderful that the city is being honored,” said Glade Nielson, mayor. “Congratulations.” Each year, at the UCFC annual luncheon and awards banquet, the Community of the Year award is given to a community that has enhanced the lives of its citizens by improving its Urban Forest and made significant strides in the care of its trees during the past year. Larry Ostler, city council member, said that he had never seen cemeteries that looked more beautiful than Nephi’s. “If they would have had Phil in Montpelier, they wouldn’t have lost half of their pine trees,” said Paul McPherson. Baker said that at $2 per capita, the city would need to invest $11,000 annually as an urban forest but the city had actually invested $43,000 this past year. With the Tree City USA designation, the city will be able to post the flags which go with the participation and will also have “Welcome to Tree City USA” signs. “It may be of interest to note that one of the nomination forms that the UCFC received stated, ‘Nephi City is deserving of this year’s Community of the Year award because, although they will be obtaining Tree City USA status for the first time this year, they have a longstanding legacy of taking care of trees the right way. It is doubtful that one could find any non-tree city community in rural Utah that employs two certified arborists, but Nephi does, and it shows. The quality and diversity of the urban forest in Nephi is remarkable, and could only have been achieved through 20 or more years of diligent care,’” said Atkinson. “Furthermore, even before obtaining TCUSA recognition, Nephi has completed a comprehensive street tree inventory and is working on their own management plan. If every city were as proactive as Nephi, especially considering their limited resources, the entire landscape of Utah’s community forests would be significantly enhanced,” the email continued. It would thus appear that Nephi City has been making significant strides toward proper care and management of their tree-resource for many years, so it is only natural that they have been selected as this year’s Community of the Year. As the recipient, any relevant city personnel and a guest or two of their choice are invited to the awards luncheon to accept the reward and those invited planned to attend, said Atkinson. This year’s luncheon will be held in conjunction with the UNLA Green Conference at the South Towne Exposition Center in Sandy on Tuesday January 30 from 12-1 p.m. “The staff recommends approval of Ordinance 01-16-18 to take the final step toward becoming an official Tree City USA and also establish an Urban Forestry Policy,” said Atkinson. The city adopted the ordinance, January 16, providing for an urban forestry policy, establishing a Nephi Urban Forestry Department and urban forester and providing for their authority and duties which took effect immediately upon its passage and publication as prescribed by law. Nephi City Corporation’s Urban Forest consists of trees located on public property owned by the city.
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