Fredericksburg received the national recognition for the 15th year in a row, said David J. King, assistant to the director of public works for the city.
Trees are a big part of our urban landscape.
The Tree City USA program recognizes cities and towns that possess effective community tree programs, said Kathy Sevebeck of the Virginia Urban Forest Council in Blacksburg. The council publicizes the program for the Virginia Department of Forestry and works with communities to meet requirements for the designation. More than 2,500 communities earned Tree City USA designation in 1999. The National Arbor Day Foundation sets the standards and decides who is eligible for the designation. There were 36 awards in Virginia, including the communities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Herndon, Manassas, Warrenton and Richmond.