COLUMBUS, Ohio –
The Defense Supply Center Columbus and its Environmental Division were recognized for its efforts on creating a greener community and improving the installation’s urban forest April 18.
“We [DSCC] were honored to be a part of this year’s awards,” said DSCC Lead Environmental Specialist Nicole Goicochea. “Becoming a Tree City USA recognized installation was about a two-year process and included the planting of more than 160 trees last year. Going forward, we have implemented a DSCC Tree Ordinance to enhance our urban forest.”
The City of Bexley, Ohio, and Capital University hosted the 2019 Tree City, Tree Line, Tree Campus USA Awards.
The Tree City USA program recognizes cities for their excellence in urban forestry management.
The Tree Campus USA program helps colleges and universities around the country establish and sustain healthy community forest.
The Tree Line USA program recognizes best practices in utility arboriculture.
All of the programs are sponsored by the National Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service and state forestry.
The day’s program started with a continental breakfast followed by remarks from Susan Quintenz, chair of the City Tree and Public Garden Commission and Christine Anderson, Ph.D. from the Primmer Outdoor Learning Center.
Afterwards attendees enjoyed lunch and toured Bexley Sustainable City Hall, Bexley Mill and Capital University Sustainable Habitat.
The event concluded with an awards presentation and remarks from Tyler Stevenson, Urban Forestry program manager.
Stevenson left the audience with a story about his military paratrooper father meeting his counterpart who packed his parachute.
He reminded the attendees that planting trees is a similar relationship to that of packing a parachute for another. One lays the foundation for others. Planting trees now will pack the parachutes for children and enable them to have what’s needed to sustain the future.
For more information about DLA Land and Maritime Environmental Division, visit the division's webpage.