THUNDER BAY – Thunder Bay is being recognized by a United Nations agency for its management of urban trees and forests. The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), along with the Arbor Day Foundation, recently approved the city for a Tree Cities of the World designation.
The program celebrates municipalities that meet five core standards: establish responsibility, set the rules, know what you have, allocate the resources, and celebrate achievements. It aims to connect cities around the world in a network dedicated to sharing and adopting the most successful approaches to managing city trees and forests.
“Thunder Bay joins cities around the world that have taken steps toward robust and healthy city forests,” said Dan Lambe, president, Arbor Day Foundation. “Trees clean our air and water, provide shade, and beautify the places we live and work. This designation signifies Thunder Bay’s commitment to being a healthier, happier city.”
Aside from making cities more pleasant environments, the organization touts numerous pragmatic benefits to having a vibrant urban forest, such as reducing home cooling costs and removing air pollutants.
