The Department of Natural Resources and National Arbor Day Foundation has announced that 117 Michigan communities received the "Tree City USA" designation for their promotion of urban forestry in 2008.

Communities are certified for work accomplished in 2008 and will be recognized at an awards luncheon on Wednesday, April 9, in Okemos.

This years total represents an increase of four from last year and includes the following new communities: Breckenridge, Clare, Dexter and Sparta. Michigan ranks 8th among all states in total number of communities certified.

The Tree City USA program promotes proper tree care and management in urban areas, and calls attention to the economic, health and aesthetic benefits trees offer. To be eligible to participate, a community must meet the following four requirements:

• Have a designated tree board or department for its urban forest program;
• Have a community tree ordinance;
• Have a budget for community tree care equivalent to $2 per capita; and
• Have an annual Arbor Day celebration and official Arbor Day proclamation.

Since the program began in 1976, Michigan has seen a steady increase in the number of communities being certified as a Tree City.

"It is encouraging to see Michigan's communities maintaining or expanding their commitment to tree care and management, especially during these tough economic times," said Lynne Boyd, chief of the DNR Forest, Mineral and Fire Management Division. "This honor is an important recognition of their efforts, efforts which will make a lasting contribution to a better, greener community and state.

Along with the Tree City USA program, the DNR certified four Michigan utilities -- Lansing Board of Water and Light, DTE Energy, International Transmission Company, and Upper Peninsula Power Company -- through the Tree Line USA program; and two schools, University of Michigan and Western Michigan University, through the Tree Campus USA program. These programs encourage utility companies and universities to offer tree care education programs and sponsor tree planting events as part of their commitment to maintaining healthy urban forests and trees locally. To find out more about the Arbor Day Foundation's Tree USA programs, visit www.arborday.org/programs.

For questions on DNR's Urban and Community Forestry program, contact Kevin Sayers at 517-241-4632 or sayersk@mi.gov, or visit DNR's Web site at www.mi.gov/dnrucf.