The trees being planted and cared for by the City of Katy ensure that generations to come will enjoy a better quality of life. Additionally, participation in this program helps cultivate a sense of stewardship and pride for the trees the community plants and cares for.”

Kathy Wiesner, Keep Katy Beautiful board member

The Arbor Day Foundation has named Katy a 2021 Tree City USA in honoring the city’s commitment to effective urban forest management.

Kathy Wiesner, a member of the Keep Katy Beautiful board of directors, said the city achieved this recognition by meeting four foundation-set criteria. These include forming a tree board or department, creating a tree-care ordinance, having an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita, and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.

Wiesner said the foundation sponsors the program in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters.

“Tree City USA communities benefit from the positive effects that an urban tree canopy has a year after year,” Wiesner said at Monday’s Katy City Council meeting at City Hall. “The trees being planted and cared for by the City of Katy ensure that generations to come will enjoy a better quality of life. Additionally, participation in this program helps cultivate a sense of stewardship and pride for the trees the community plants and cares for.”

Wiesner said planting trees in an urban space comes with many benefits.

“Urban tree plantings help reduce energy consumption by up to 25%, which will reduce general energy costs and help with the overall cooling of the city as well,” Wiesner said. “In addition, members of the community benefit from properly placed trees as they increase property values up to 20%. Trees also positively affect the local ecosystem by helping to clean water and create animal habitats to encourage biodiversity.”

In a statement, the foundation said that since 1972, almost 500 million Arbor Day Foundation trees have been planted in neighborhoods, communities, cities and forests around the world.