Surfside Beach celebrates 17 years as Tree City USA
The Arbor Day Foundation recognized Surfside Beach for achieving its 17th year as a 2024 Tree City USA. Last year, Surfside Beach removed five hazardous trees, pruned 185 trees and planted three new trees. Volunteers spent 90 hours assisting the city with tree care. SCFC Urban Forestry Specialist Ann Huyler presented the award to Surfside Beach Director of Public Works John Adair, Mayor Robert Krouse and City Council at their June 24 meeting.
Surfside Beach residents honored their trees by celebrating Arbor Day twice last year. In the spring, the city hosted an Arbor Day Tree Planting Celebration. Free tree seedlings were offered by the Keep Surfside Beach Beautiful Committee and Benjamin’s Bakery provided complimentary coffee and donuts. In addition, Mayor Krouse proclaimed December 7, 2024, as Arbor Day in Surfside Beach. This “Family Beach” works hard year-round to provide a cool, green welcome along our beloved coastline.
Georgetown celebrates 21 years as Tree City USA
The Arbor Day Foundation recognized the city of Georgetown for achieving 21 years as a 2024 Tree City USA. In that year, Georgetown removed 12 hazardous trees, pruned 150 trees, and planted six new trees. One dogwood was planted at Paul Smith Park for Georgetown’s Arbor Day Celebration on April 26, and five additional crape myrtles were planted at Mike Johnson Park.
Ann Huyler presented the Tree City USA awards to City Forester and Arborist Carl Grantham, Keep Georgetown Beautiful Coordinator Laurie Cipolla, Mayor Carol Jayroe and City Council at their June 18 meeting.
Bennettsville celebrates 14 years as Tree City USA
The Arbor Day Foundation recognized the city of Bennettsville for achieving 14 years as a 2024 Tree City USA. Ann Huyler presented the Tree City USA awards to Director of Tourism, Parks, and Recreation Jaharra Graves, Mayor Abraham and City Council at their June 17 meeting.
Chesterfield celebrates 33 years as Tree City USA
The Arbor Day Foundation recognized the town of Chesterfield for achieving its 33rd year as a 2024 Tree City USA. Last year, the town removed two hazardous trees, pruned 18 trees and planted three new trees. The Fire Department received a new maple tree, and Craig Park received a new live oak and a new crape myrtle tree.
Ann Huyler presented the Tree City USA awards to Mayor John H. Bittle III and City Council at their June 12 meeting.
Patrick achieves 17th year as Tree City USA and receives Tree Growth Award
The Arbor Day Foundation recognized the Town of Patrick for achieving its 17th year as a Tree City USA for 2024 and its 5th year for the Tree Growth Award. Ann Huyler presented the two awards to Mayor Privette, Town Clerk and Treasurer Elizabeth Buddin and the City Council June 3.
Patrick volunteers contributed 62 hours to tree care. The town celebrated Arbor Day on December 6 at Patrick Depot Leander McLain Playground Park, where a dogwood was planted as a living memorial to those who died in 2024.
To earn the Tree Growth Award, the town of Patrick increased the budget to remove hazardous trees and to purchase a new Spirit of Christmas tree and the memorial dogwood. The town composted the tree debris and used the compost to mulch crape myrtles on Winburn St. In 2024, only the city of Florence was awarded more Tree Growth Awards than the town of Patrick.
Conway achieves 40th year as Tree City USA and receives 5th Tree Growth Award
The City of Conway was recognized for achieving their 40th year as a Tree City USA and earning its 5th year Tree Growth Award. Conway’s Tree Board is very active and works hands on with the city to improve the city’s urban forest. During 2024, the city planted 735 trees, pruned 351 trees and removed 64 hazardous trees. On December 16, Conway celebrated Arbor Day, planting a live oak in honor of the victims of Hurricane Helene.
For the 2024 Tree Growth Award, Conway documented numerous activities going above and beyond the Tree City USA standards. Conway was awarded $2.17M to build Chestnut Bay, an engineered manmade Palmetto Bay with a recreational park. Conway was awarded $2M from the state and $75,000 from the Waccamaw Community Foundation to construct an environmentally sustainable route across the Waccamaw River, potentially linking Conway Trails with Myrtle Beach. Conway was awarded over $2.6M to create the McKeithan Watershed, a flood reduction project and manmade wetland designed to slow down, temporarily hold, and filter floodwaters before entry into the main system. The non-profit, Keep Conway Beautiful, was awarded a $10,000 Keep Conway Beautiful Support Grant for beautification and litter reduction projects. The group also received $10,000 from Palmetto Pride Litter Prevention to install a WaterGoat on the Crabtree Canal to collect floating trash.
Other 2024 activities included the teamwork between the City of Conway and Conway Elementary School to obtain a NASA Moon Tree, a sweetgum sapling that grew from a seed that went into space on the Artemis I mission. This sweetgum was planted at the Elementary School and is thriving. Recently, this sapling was nominated for a Heritage Tree Award from the non-profit, TreesSC, that “identifies, celebrates and recognizes remarkable trees in South Carolina”.
More 2024 Tree Growth Award activities include the City of Conway being awarded the Outstanding Planning Project- Small Urban Jurisdiction for our Riverfront and Downtown Master Plan from the South Carolina Chapter of the American Planning Association.
The Tree Growth Award requires ten points worth of additional activities. Conway earned eighteen points.
As a fitting tribute, the entire city of Conway was nominated for a Golden Acorn Award from the non-profit, Trees SC, due to its “exemplary leadership and vision to a comprehensive urban forestry program.” For years, the City of Conway has been punching above its weight, constructing ordinances and projects that continuously enhance the beauty and many services the city’s trees provide for its citizens and visitors.
Florence achieves 45th year as Tree City USA and 18 years of Tree Growth Awards
In 2024, the Arbor Day Foundation recognized the city of Florence for its 45th year as a Tree City and for attaining 18 years of Tree Growth Awards. Urban Forestry Specialist Ann Huyler presented both awards to the Parks Commission at its June 5th meeting and to City Council at its June 9th meeting. The city of Florence has strong Tree Preservation, Credit and Replacement ordinances in its Unified Development Ordinance. Florence also has both a city tree board and the Parks and Beautification Commission dedicated to planting and maintaining city trees. In 2024, 488 trees were planted, 1,964 trees were pruned and 163 hazardous trees were removed. The city celebrated Arbor Day on December 6 at the Southside Middle School with a program of song, dedications, resolutions and the planting of an overcup oak, Quercus lyrata. In South Carolina, only the city of Columbia, at 46 yrs, has been a Tree City USA longer than Florence.
For the Tree Growth Award, the city surpassed the standards required. In 2024, Florence had a 3:1 tree planting to removals ratio. Florence recycled tree debris and used it to mulch around trees in public spaces. The city also made this mulch available free to the public. Florence’s 18 years of Tree Growth Awards far outstrips any city in South Carolina. In 2024, the two closest cities were Conway and Patrick, both having earned their 5th year of Tree Growth Awards.
