Tree City & Tree Campus Programs

Tree City & Tree Campus Programs

The Tree City USA, Tree Campus Higher Education, and Tree Campus K-12 are Arbor Day Foundation programs cooperating with the US Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters. The programs provide frameworks to support communities across the United States in growing and maintaining their community forests.

Tree City USA Tree Campus Higher Education Tree Campus K-12 Interested in Participating? Resources

2023 Statistics

2022 Statistics

2021 Statistics

Tree City Communities

The Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree City program provides the framework necessary for communities to manage and expand their public trees.  Hawaiʻi has proudly been participating in the program since the program’s inception with our first community, County of Maui, who joined in 1976.  Participation in the program has grown since and we continue to welcome new communities each year. The following are Hawaiʻi’s current Tree City USA communities:

image from Ohana Military Communities for Tree City USA

County of Maui

Since 1976

City and County of Honolulu

Since 1980

Joint Base Pearl Harbor/Hickam

Since 1998

Schofield Barracks

Since 2008

Aliamanu Military Reservation

Since 2011

Image of Mililani Town Tree City USA celebration

Helemano Military Reservation

Since 2011

Fort Shafter

Since 2011

Wheeler Army Airfield

Since 2011

 

Past Recognized Communities

Mililani Town (2018-2021)

ʻOhana Military Communities, Navy (2018-2022)

ʻOhana Military Communities, MCBH (2020-2022)

 

Tree Campus Higher Education Communities

Tree Campus schools must meet the same standards as Tree City USA communities with an additional Service Learning Project aimed at engaging the student body. 

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

Since 2008

Kapiʻolani Community College

Since 2019

University of Hawaiʻi Maui College

Since 2024

Past Recognized Campuses

Windward Community College (2019-2021)

Leeward Community College (2021)

 

 

Tree Campus K-12 Communities

The Tree Campus K-12 program inspires the next generation of tree stewards through experiences that bring the benefits of trees to life both inside and outside the classroom. This program provides national recognition to schools who actively engage with campus trees through education and stewardship. Tree Campus opens doors for school-to-school connections, potential grants and funding, and student engagement in community and conservation through the care of campus trees and green spaces.

Le Jardin AcademyPunahou students plant a tree in observance of Arbor Day

Since SY 2022-23

Saint Louis School

Since SY 2023-24

Iroquois Point Elementary School

Since SY 2024-25

ʻAiea Intermediate School

Since SY 2024-25

University Laboratory School

Since SY 2024-25

Past Recognized Campuses

Punahou School (2022-23)

 

 

Is your community interested in becoming a Tree City or Campus? 

Tree City USA

Tree City USA communities are required to establish all of the following:

  1. a Tree Board or Department
  2. a Community Tree Ordinance
  3. a Community Forestry Program with a minimum of at least $2 per capita
  4. an Arbor Day Observance and Proclamation

 

Learn more about the Tree City USA program on Arbor Day Foundation’s website.

 

Tree Campus Higher Education

Higher education institutions are required to establish all of the following:

  1. a campus tree advisory committee
  2. a campus tree care plan
  3. a verification of the plan’s dedicated annual expenditures
  4. an Arbor Day Observance
  5. a service-learning project aimed at engaging the student body

 

Learn more about the Tree Campus Higher Education program at their website.

 

Tree Campus K-12

Tree Campus K-12 schools must fulfill the following four goals:

  1. Maintain a Tree Campus Team of staff, students, and community members
  2. Establish an education plan to provide tree-related learning
  3. Provide hands-on opportunities to engage students and community members in tree-related activities
  4. Celebrate Arbor Day

 

Learn more about the Tree Campus K-12 program at their website.

 

How To Apply

Applications are retrospective and highlight the community’s past year of accomplishments. Apply online at https://recognition.arborday.org/.

Application Timeline

Program

Application Deadline

Application Review (Kaulunani & Arbor Day Foundation)

Final Submission Deadline

Award Announcement

Tree City USA

Tree Campus Higher Education

 December 31st of each year

February-April

April 30 of each year

May-June
Tree Campus K-12

June 30 of each year (End of the School Year)

Through June

June 30 of each year

 July

Ready to get started? Reach out to Kaulunani staff to begin your application today!

Resources

Benefits of Becoming a Tree Campus

  1. Cultivate pilina to trees on campus, learning of their value & appreciating all of the benefits they provide.
  2. Involve the campus community in caring for trees and green space.
  3. Create new pathways that connect students to service learning and community involvement.
  4. Use the framework provided to create a platform for educating your school community on the benefits of trees.
  5. Support campus sustainability initiatives.
  6. Create a green and beautiful campus.
  7. Build a sense of campus pride!
  8. Receive all of the benefits of trees!!

Learn more about the benefits of trees here.

Past Informational Webinar Sessions:

 

Questions? Contact our Tree City/Campus State Coordinator, Leʻa Kaʻahaʻaina, at [email protected].