GREAT BEND, Kan. – The Kansas Forest Service had reason to brag about the 104 state communities honored here in annual Tree City USA celebrations Tuesday [April 24]. Together, the winning towns and communities had spent $9.4 million during the year 2000. They’d planted almost 15,600 trees, pruned about 61,400 and removed 6,400 more.

"People tend to take trees for granted. That’s why every community’s accomplishments in the Tree City USA program are so important, said Eric Berg, forester who coordinates community activities for the state service.

Other recognitions included in the tree celebration were:

Bill Wood and Bob Switzer, Mankato Tree Board members and team winners of the State Forester’s Award for Urban and Community Forestry, honoring their tree planting and maintenance work.

Madison Twombly, daughter of Mark and Lisa Twombly of Troy and Kansas’ winner in the 2001 National Arbor Day Poster Contest. Her "Trees are terrific ... and forests are too!" poster was among more than 1,900 entries. It now will represent the state in national competition.

Nancy Clisbee, Madison’s teacher at Troy Grade School, who won classroom aids while her pupil won a U.S. Savings Bond in the state poster contest.

Western Resources, the state’s first Tree Line USA Utility winner – for the second year in a row. Achieving that status requires a utility to have a program for proper tree care around utility lines, to include public education, tree planting, and annual employee training in safe pruning techniques.

Leavenworth County resident Jack Woods, who since the late 1960s personally located and nominated 33 of the 114 trees currently listed as Kansas Champions.

The communities of Clay Center, Dodge City, Junction City and Newton – which all have maintained Tree City USA status for 25 years, since the program began during the U.S. bicentennial.

To become a Tree City USA, a community must pass a tree ordinance, organize a tree board or department, proclaim and celebrate an Arbor day, and budget at least $2 per resident. Tree City USA, the Arbor Day Poster Contest, and Tree Line USA are joint programs of the Kansas Forest Service and National Arbor Day Foundation. The Kansas programs also are supported by interested groups and organizations, including Kansas State University’s statewide Research and Extension programs.

More information about Kansas trees and their related programs and contests is available on the Kansas Forest Service’s Website ( http://www.kansasforests.org ).