The intent of this standard is to assign the responsibility for the management of the community’s trees. This standard can be met by having a single professional forester, arborist, an entire forestry department or a tree board, which is a group of volunteer citizens charged by ordinance with developing and administering a tree management program. Often, both professional staff and an advisory tree board are established, which is a good goal for most communities.

• In 2004, the Bend City Council passed a resolution establishing the Council as the City Tree Board and authorizing the creation of an Urban and Community Forest Advisory Committee to develop an urban forest management plan and develop an annual Arbor Week program. In 2017 a small technical advisory committee was formed to provide expertise to the City Tree Board as needed. 

A basic public tree care ordinance typically forms the foundation of a city’s tree care program. It provides an opportunity to set good policy and back it with the force of law when necessary.

A key section of a public tree care ordinance is one that establishes the tree board or forestry department—or both and gives one of them the responsibility for public tree care. It should also require developing and implementing a plan for documenting annual tree care activities. 

Ideally, the ordinance gives guidance for planting, maintaining and removing trees on public property. Beyond that it can be flexible to meet the needs of your community.

• The City has several ordinances referencing tree care on public property in the Bend Code, the Grading Ordinance and the Bend Development Code. 

To meet this standard each year, the City must document at least $2 per capita toward the planting, care and removal of city trees, including the planning efforts to make the work possible.

• Since 2017 the City, together with Bend Park and Recreation District, has easily met this standard. The City's Street Division budget includes street tree maintenance to keep Bend's streets safe. The City will continue to plant new trees along with bond-funded Capital Improvement Projects through Bend’s street system. And the Bend Park and Recreation District performs annual maintenance and development of trees in Bend's Parks. These activities  exceed the $2 per capita annual budget requirement for Tree City USA. 

An effective program for community trees include an annual Arbor Day Observance and Proclamation. In Oregon, Arbor Day celebrations typically occur the first full week of April. Arbor Day events provide an opportunity to educate homeowners about tree planting and care, to introduce elements of conservation education and increase awareness of appropriate tree selection.

By passing and reciting an official Arbor Day proclamation, public officials demonstrate their support for the community tree program and complete the requirements for becoming a Tree City USA!

• The City and Bend Park and Recreation District have held successful Arbor Day events since 2017. We have distributed over 150 seedlings to school children and planted large shade trees in many of Bend's parks. Although COVID temporarily made meeting this standard more difficult, this year we are encouraging members of the community to create their own Arbor Day celebrations.