Yorktown Named Tree City

Yorktown was named a 2020 Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation in honor of its commitment to effective urban forest management.

Yorktown achieved the recognition because of its tree ordinance, an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita and other benchmarks.

“Tree City USA communities see the impact an urban forest has in a community first hand,” said Dan Lambe, president of the Arbor Day foundation. “The trees being planted and cared for by Yorktown are ensuring that generations to come will enjoy a better quality of life. Additionally, participation in this program brings residents together and creates a sense of civic pride, whether it’s through volunteer engagement or public education.”

Communities worldwide are facing issues with air quality, water resources, personal health, energy use and protection from extreme heat and flooding. Last year, the Town Board responded to some of these challenges by adopting solar array and storage laws to increase the amount of solar power generated in Yorktown. The new solar  energy regulations allowed IBM’s proposal to build a massive solar array over one of its parking lots to proceed.

“From tree planting to solar panel installation or water quality improvement, Yorktown is committed to elevating the environment for our residents’ health and enjoyment,” said Supervisor Matt Slater. “As we continue the revitalization of our business hamlets, one of the Town Board’s highest priorities is more tree planting, new public green spaces and enhanced pollution control devices to keep our streams and lakes clean.”

A copy of the Arbor Day Foundation's letter is attached.