TreeLine USA®
Every day in communities all across America, people depend on safe, reliable electric service to power their homes, businesses, and public buildings – all while protecting and enhancing the urban forest.
The TreeLine USA® program exists to recognize best practices in public and private utility arboriculture, demonstrating how trees and utilities can co-exist for the benefit of communities and citizens.
The Arbor Day Foundation collaborates with the National Association of State Foresters on this initiative. These state foresters bring expertise in balancing the demands of expanding utility needs in our communities alongside the benefits of providing adequate care for our urban forests.
Five Core Standards
- Quality Tree Care — Industry standards for pruning, planting, removals, trenching, and tunneling near trees are consistently followed..
- Annual Worker Training — Utility employees and contract workers are trained at least annually in best practices.
- Tree Planting and Public Education — Tree planting and public education programs are available to the public and paying customers, demonstrating proper tree planting, placement, and pruning while expanding the tree canopy in the community.
- Tree-Based Energy Conservation Program — A formal tree-based energy conservation program is in place, putting special consideration on the value of trees in conserving energy.
- Arbor Day Celebration — Sponsorship of or participation in annual Arbor Day events at the community level are documented, including collaboration with community groups whenever possible.
Utility companies that comply with these core standards are welcome to print and submit a Tree Line USA application form to enroll.