On its annual Arbor Day recognition event, Macon-Bibb announced that it had been named a Tree City of the World by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the Arbor Day Foundation. This international program celebrates cities across all continents that meet core standards for the care and planning of urban trees and forests.

Macon-Bibb named Tree City of the World from MaconBibbTV on Vimeo.

To achieve recognition, Macon-Bibb met the five core standards: establish responsibility, set the rules, know what you have, allocate the resources, and celebrate achievements. Macon-Bibb is only one of about 60 cities around the world that have met the requirements and earned this recognition.

“Our goal is to plant 250 trees each year, whether that it is in our parks or along our right of ways,” says Parks & Beautification Director Mike Glisson. “We’ve been a Tree City USA for 34 years and now it’s time to take our community to the international level of making sure we’re a City in a Park.”

“The Tree Cities of the World program recognizes the efforts cities take toward greener, healthier communities,” said Hiroto Mitsugi, assistant director general, Forestry Department, FAO. “The most successful urban landscapes are those that have factored trees into the plan. We applaud Macon-Bibb’s work to plant and care for its urban trees.”

“Macon-Bibb joins cities around the world that have taken steps toward robust and healthy city forests,” said Dan Lambe, president, Arbor Day Foundation. “Trees clean our air and water, provide shade, and beautify the places we live and work. This designation signifies Macon-Bibb’s commitment to being a healthier, happier city.”

About the Tree City Program

The Tree Cities of the World program is built off the success of the Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree City USA program, which has provided recognition to cities within the United States for more than 40 years. The vision of the Tree Cities of the World program is to connect cities around the world in a new network dedicated to sharing and adopting the most successful approaches to managing city trees and forests.

Trees provide multiple benefits to a city when properly planted and maintained. They help to improve the visual appeal of a neighborhood, increase property values, reduce home cooling costs, remove air pollutants and provide wildlife habitat, among many other benefits.

More information is available at TreeCitiesoftheWorld.org.