By Erin Rugland

The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management awarded the Sustainable Cities Network and partners with the department’s first Ponderosa Pine Partnership Award for the Regional Tree & Shade Summit 2.0: Branching Out One Community at a Time.

This award was given at the 2017 Arizona State Arbor Day Celebration, which included winners of the Arbor Day K-12 Poster Contest, as well as recognition for 29 Tree City USA communities, 2 Tree Campus USA sites, 2 Tree Line USA utilities and 4 Urban Forestry Awards.

The Ponderosa Pine Award is one of the Urban Forestry Awards presented at the celebration, given “to increase the recognition of outstanding urban forestry projects in Arizona." It is presented for the innovative, strategic and/or pioneering collaborative efforts of organizations. It recognizes a project for the exceptional involvement of multiple organizations that was implemented during the past year.

The Regional Tree & Shade Summit 2.0: Branching Out One Community at a Time was hosted by the Sustainable Cities Network in March of 2016. This urban forestry event was held in collaboration with multiple city and organizational partners from around Arizona, and was designed to advance the conversation about urban forestry best practices and strategies in the unique background of the Desert Southwest. Over 200 practitioners and community advocates attended the Summit.

Collaborating partners on the Regional Tree & Shade Summit 2.0 included the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management; the U.S. Forest Service; Arizona Nursery Association; the Cities of Phoenix, Mesa and Avondale; and Downtown Phoenix, Inc.

Sponsoring organizations included the Arizona Community Tree Council, Arizona Landscape Contractors’ Association, Arid Zone Trees, the City of Scottsdale, Maricopa County Air Quality Department, Mountain States Wholesale Nursery, St. Luke’s Health Initiatives, Salt River Project, AZ STORM, Trees Matter and West Coast Arborists.

Thank you again to all of our collaborating partners and sponsors for making this event so exceptional!

More information about the Sustainable Cities Network’s Regional Tree & Shade Summit 2.0 can be found here. More information about the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management Arizona State Arbor Day Awards can be found here.