Normandy Park Working to become a Tree City USA

Trees are a vital asset to any community, and Normandy Park has embraced this value. Based on the 2018 Tree Canopy Survey from King Conservation District, Normandy Park has 740 acres, or 46%, of tree canopy. This is one of the highest percentages in King County. To celebrate, promote, preserve, and educate the public about this great asset, the city plans to join the Tree City USA program.

Tree City USA is a national program, offered through the Arbor Day Foundation, that provides an excellent opportunity to celebrate the importance of an urban tree canopy and improve the care of these vital city trees. To become a member, in 2022 the city will be taking certain steps that give us the ability to apply for the Tree City USA designation. One of the most exciting items coming to Normandy Park is an annual Arbor Day Observance. The details are still being worked out, but we are planning a fun community celebration for Friday, April 29^th (National Arbor Day). Stay tuned for more details.

Another exciting program coming to Normandy Park related to trees is the “Heritage Tree Program.” This program is still being developed but will focus on celebrating Normandy Park’s special trees. It will be a voluntary program initiated by the property owner. And trees can be deemed special for many reasons, including being historic or a community landmark. After the details of this program are finalized, any requests to designate a tree as a Heritage Tree would be reviewed and approved by the newly created citizen Tree Board. Once a tree is in the program, we hope to recognize all the city’s Heritage Trees as part of the City’s annual Arbor Day Celebration. Maybe, working with our community partners, we could give Heritage Tree owners a plaque to recognize this distinction.

The city is excited to build a program that honors trees through education and celebration while promoting community pride. To maximize the success of these new programs, we want to encourage full citizen participation. Because of this, we welcome your thoughts and suggestions. And we will keep you informed as all the elements of this program develop.

More 2020 Census Data

We would like to continue providing you with more information from the 2020 Census. This week we take a look at what households look like in terms of size and age in Normandy Park and comparable cities. Take a look.

[Review Census Data]

If you have any questions, please get in touch with me at aarrington@normandyparkwa.gov. Have a great week!

“The city is excited to build a program that honors trees through education and celebration…”