Dunwoody earns Tree City USA recognition
For the 14th consecutive year, the Arbor Day Foundation named the city of Dunwoody a 2025 Tree City USA in honor of its commitment to plant, grow, and maintain trees to benefit its community.
To celebrate this achievement and Georgia Arbor Day on Feb. 20, city leaders hosted a tree planting ceremony at Wildcat Park, 5435 Roberts Drive. Residents were invited to join representatives from the Dunwoody City Council, Parks & Recreation, Community Development, and the Dunwoody Sustainability Committee as they plant a tree in honor of the occasion.
“Dunwoody’s 14th year as a Tree City USA underscores our community’s commitment to sustainability and green spaces,” said Dunwoody arborist David Ham. “I’m proud to work with our Community Development team to implement best practices that keep our treescape thriving, while educating residents and contractors on responsible tree care. Healthy trees are essential to a healthy community, giving us shade, cleaner air, and beauty.”
The Tree City USA program, sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters, recognizes communities that meet four key criteria:
- Maintaining a tree board or department
- Enforcing a tree care ordinance
- Allocating at least $2 per capita for community forestry
- Hosting an Arbor Day observance with a formal proclamation
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.
“We all have a role to play in shaping our future, and tree champions like Dunwoody are leading the way,” said Michelle Saulnier, vice president of programs at the Arbor Day Foundation. “Trees are critical infrastructure, building resiliency and fostering good health in our nation’s cities. We’re proud Dunwoody is among the Arbor Day Foundation’s growing network of communities dedicated to creating positive impact through trees.”
Dunwoody officials state that the city’s urban forestry efforts are driven by strong community engagement. Since 2013, the city has partnered with Trees Atlanta and local volunteers to plant more than 2,000 trees, including 80 trees during this year’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. Additionally, for the fourth consecutive year, Dunwoody is participating in the Front Yard Tree Planting Program, a Trees Atlanta initiative that offers free shade tree plantings to residents.
Dunwoody’s Feb. 20 celebration highlighted the city’s ongoing efforts to expand and preserve its urban tree canopy.
