The Arbor Day Foundation recently named Athens, Ala., a 2025 Tree City USA in honor of its commitment to plant, grow and maintain trees to benefit its community.
The Arbor Day Foundation is a global nonprofit with a mission to inspire people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees. Its network of more than a million supporters and partners has helped the organization plant more than 500 million trees in forests and communities across more than 60 countries. The Foundation’s Tree City USA program is now celebrating its 50th recognition season. The anniversary underscores the program’s rich history of growing healthier, greener, and more resilient communities through urban forestry.
"I appreciate Rhett Murphy, who is the Right of Way Manager for Athens Utilities, working with other staff members to oversee this designation," Mayor Ronnie Marks said. "Most recently, we have talked about the importance of tree plantings as we work on park projects and future projects."
Trees are proven to help reduce storm water runoff, improve air quality and boost mental and physical health. When the right trees are planted in the right places, they can also reduce traffic noise, increase property values and lower energy costs for homeowners
The Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree City USA program is operated in partnership with the National Association of State Foresters and the USDA Forest Service. To learn more about Tree City USA and other Arbor Day Foundation programs, visit arborday.org/programs.