Glen Cove Named Tree City USA for 25th Year

As spring unfurls its pale green canopy over Glen Cove’s parks and treelined streets, the city is celebrating being named a Tree City USA for the 25th time — recognition of its ongoing efforts to protect and expand that canopy. Trees cool neighborhoods, soothe streetscapes and invite residents outdoors, and the Arbor Day Foundation has honored the city’s sustained commitment to urban forestry, environmental stewardship and community beautification. The foundation, a global nonprofit that has helped plant more than 500 million trees in more than 60 countries, honors the use of urban forestry to strengthen neighborhoods, improve air quality and enhance quality of life. The Tree City USA program, a partnership with the National Association of State Foresters and the USDA Forest Service, recognizes municipalities that meet four core standards: maintaining a tree board or department, having a community tree ordinance, spending at least $2 per capita on urban forestry, and taking part in an Arbor Day celebration. Lora Cusumano, founder of Shore Road Neighbors, a group dedicated to improving the neighborhood’s infrastructure and aesthetics, and chair of the city Beautification Commission, encouraged community involvement. “It’s an honor to see Glen Cove named a 2025 Tree City,” Cusumano said. “It’s a meaningful achievement for Glen Cove, and is a testament to our community’s commitment to sustainability and beautification. Investing in our trees and green spaces enhances the environment and enriches the lives of everyone.” City Councilman Mike Ktistakis, liaison to the Beautification Commission, stressed the intergenerational duty to protect green spaces and described plans to expand neighborhood engagement. “It’s our responsibility to keep our green spaces alive, thriving and clean so we can pass them on to future generations,” Ktistakis said. He described being a Tree City as “one of the most exciting aspects of life in Glen Cove,” and outlined his intentions to host monthly community pop-ups — short Sunday-morning gatherings at which young people and families can pick up litter, plant flowers or tend public plantings. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, trees and vegetation reduce urban heat by shading surfaces and cooling air through evapotranspiration. Strategically placed trees can cut building energy use for cooling and heating, reducing utility costs and emissions. Trees also offer economic advantages thanks to those energy savings as well as the increased attractiveness of tree-lined commercial and residential areas. “Customers who strategically plant trees in their yards can save up to 20 percent on their home’s summer energy bills once the trees are fully grown,” Scott Jennings, president and chief operating officer of PSEG Long Island, wrote in a statement, “while also improving air quality and reducing storm water runoff for all residents across Long Island and the Rockaways.” The EPA site also notes that vegetation improves air quality by filtering pollutants and particulates, helps manage stormwater by intercepting rainfall and promoting infiltration, and reduces runoff and flooding. Trees also sequester carbon, offer animal habitat and biodiversity benefits, dampen noise, and enhance neighborhood aesthetics and property values. They contribute to public health by lowering the risk of heatrelated illnesses and improving residents’ mental well-being. The EPA emphasizes that maximizing the benefits of trees requires careful planning — the right species, the proper siting, adequate planting space and longterm maintenance — and that prioritizing greening in heatvulnerable and underserved communities can advance climate and health equity. “We all have a role to play in shaping our future and tree champions like City of Glen Cove are leading the way,” Michelle Saulnier, the Arbor Day Foundation’s vice president of programs, wrote in a statement. “Trees are critical infrastructure, building resiliency and fostering good health in our nation’s cities. We’re proud the City of Glen Cove is among the Arbor Day Foundation’s growing network of communities dedicated to creating positive impact through trees.” “Reaching our 25th year as a Tree City USA is a testament to Glen Cove’s dedication to environmental stewardship,” Mayor Pamela Panzenbeck wrote in a statement. “I am incredibly grateful to the members of our Beautification and Tree Commissions. Their commitment to protecting and enhancing our local ecosystem is what makes this recognition possible year after year.”