By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
Nephi City should become a Tree City USA Community.
Danon Hulet, State of Utah Urban and Community Forester, told Nephi City Council members that belonging to the organization would provide the city with direction, assistance, and national recognition and would help the city by supporting the framework for a sustainable urban forest.
At the end of his presentation, Hulet was directed to work with Phil Baker, superintendent of parks and cemeteries and an urban forester.
"The program is endorsed by the Division of Forestry," said Hulet.
He said that by becoming a member city, the organization would offer the city technical assistance, education and grant funds related to urban forestry.
Hulet said the city would need to meet four standards to participate in the program, including creating an advisory tree board, passing a proclamation and ordinance, budgeting $2 per capita for tree maintenance and hosting an Arbor Day event.
The advisory tree board would assist the city in coming up with projects.
Nephi council members would need to pass an ordinance, however simple, for tree care.
The city can meet the funding stipulation through funds already being spent.
"If you look at what you already spend," he said, "you will find that you probably match the $2 per capital cost."
Therefore, he said, there would be no extra cost to Nephi.
Tree City USA was a nationally recognized non-profit program, he said.
The city did have to recertify every year but membership could bring grants up to $8,000.
"You can apply every year for a grant," he said. "The state gets a lump sum and they break it up to be used by various cities."
There are 85 member cities in Utah.
The Arbor Day observance could be as simple as the city parks department planting a tree on Arbor Day or a school or class could plant a tree or trees.
"There is also an Arbor Day grant to help the city with its first observance," Hulet said.
If the council were to begin doing research on the four standards, he said, they would find that the city is already doing most of what needs to be done to meet the criteria for becoming a tree city.
Arbor Day Foundation gives the city signs advertising that the city is a Tree City USA Community.
"I suspect that everyone has a tree," said Hulet.
Lisa Brough, city council member, said that Nephi was a tree town, a place where there were trees planted to enhance the beauty of the community.
Trees help a community reduce costs for energy, storm water management, and erosion control.
"Trees yield up to three times their cost in overall benefits to the city, averaging $273 worth of benefit per tree," Hulet said.
Trees cut energy consumption by up to 25 percent. Studies indicate that as few as three additional trees planted around each building in the United States could save the country $2 billion, annually, in energy costs.
Planting trees in an urban area could boost property values across the community.
"Properly placed trees can increase property values from 7 percent to 21 percent and buildings in wooded areas rent more quickly and tenants stay longer," he said.
Trees and green spaces directly correlate to greater connections to the neighborhood and neighbors and build stronger ties to the neighborhood and community.
Becoming a Tree City, said Hulet, was one way the city council could demonstrate the council's commitment to a healthier environment.
Membership also encouraged better care of community forests, touched the lives of people within the community who benefit daily from cleaner air, shadier streets, and aesthetic beauty, and recognizes and rewards communities for annual advancements in urban forestry practices.
It would increase public awareness of the many social, economical and environmental benefits of urban forestry practices, would provide education to improve current practices, build cooperation between public and private sectors to manage urban forests.
"Tree City USA encourages, supports and strengthens effective urban forestry programs in diverse communities nationwide," Hulet said.
It can make a strong contribution to a community's pride, serve as a blueprint for planting and maintaining a community's trees, and put people in touch with other communities and resources that can help improve the city program.
"It brings solid benefits to a community, such as helping to gain financial support for tree projects and contributing to safer and healthier urban forests," he said. "It helps present the kind of image that most citizens want to have for the place they live or conduct business.
It tells visitors, through signage, that here is a community that cares about its environment, sometimes gives preference over other communities when allocations of grant money are made for trees and forestry programs, and provides a way to reach large numbers of people with information about three care.
"There are also more educational opportunities for employees who maintain the city's trees," Hulet said.
He said that the city would have almost a full year to decide what to do about membership. December 1, 2014, was the date to submit the city's application to become a Tree City USA member.
Hulet will work with Baker on the project.
