Anaheim<i> /</i> Fullerton : Arbor Day Group Plans ‘Tree City, USA’ Awards

Anaheim is usually associated with Disneyland, activities at the Convention Center, Angels and Rams games and a long row of hotels and motels.

But Orange County’s largest city has another symbol: trees.

The city has been selected for the second consecutive year as “Tree City , USA,” Anaheim officials announced last week.

Fullerton also will receive the award--for the seventh year in a row--said Eric Oldar, service forester with the state Department of Forestry.

Anaheim and Fullerton are the only two Orange County cities to qualify, Oldar said.

“They’re very tree-oriented,” Oldar said of the two cities.

Typically, municipalities are interested in tree care to avoid liability problems that might arise from such things as untrimmed branches falling, Oldar said. But some cities see trees for their own aesthetic beauty, he continued.

On Wednesday, Anaheim will receive the award from the National Arbor Day Foundation at Brookhurst Community Center. Following the award luncheon, students of Salk School who have been active in the city’s Kids for Parks program will hold a special tree-planting ceremony. No date has been set yet for the Fullerton presentation, Oldar said.

“Our parks division maintains more than 55,000 trees within the city limits,” said Chris Jarvi, Anaheim Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department director.

Also a key participant in tree-related projects, Jarvi said, is Anaheim Beautiful, a nonprofit organization that gives recognition to businesses and groups working to beautify the city.