Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation, Trees Indiana and other tree enthusiasts gathered today to celebrate Arbor Day.
Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation news release:
Fort Wayne Earns Tree City USA ® and Growth Award From Arbor Day Foundation
Fort Wayne, Indiana (April 24, 2026) – Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation, Trees Indiana and other tree enthusiasts gathered today to celebrate Arbor Day. Fort Wayne has been named a Tree City USA® by the Arbor Day Foundation for the 36th consecutive year in honor of its commitment to effective urban forest management. The Parks Department also announced that the city received a Growth Award for the 21st consecutive year for demonstrating environmental improvement and an outstanding level of tree care.
A mayoral proclamation also marked April 24, 2026 as Arbor Day in Fort Wayne to recognize the City’s continued commitment to preserving a healthy tree canopy. Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation planted a Princeton Elm tree at Franklin School Park and in partnership with Trees Indiana, tree seedlings were made available to residents (one per household) via a simple phone registration. The White Pine and Chestnut Oak bare root seedlings were ready to plant for Arbor Day.
In addition to maintaining over 70,000 trees in the parks and neighborhood park strips throughout the city, the department works to add trees annually. In 2025, a total of 725 trees were added to the urban canopy.
“Planting and maintaining a growing tree canopy is a demonstrated way to improve our community,” said Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Director Steve McDaniel. “From absorbing pollutants in the air that we breathe, taking up and using rainfall, reducing stress, lowering blood pressure, improving mood, providing shade and cooling through evaporation, everyone benefits when we make trees a priority.”
Click here for more information about Fort Wayne urban forestry efforts.
The Tree City USA® program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation, in partnership with the USDA Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters.
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