Manassas has been honored by the Arbor Day Foundation for their urban forest management program, and named a 2014 Tree City USA.
The Arbor Day Foundation partners with the U.S. Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters in order to designate these awards to localities across the country.
Manassas has received the national designation by the foundation for the past 25 years, according to a City of Manassas release.
To celebrate this year’s award, there will be a ceremony on April 24 at the Liberia Plantation in Manassas at 10 a.m.
During the ceremony, area students from kindergarten through fifth grade will present their winning entries for the Arbor Day poster contest, according to a release.
In order for a city to earn a Tree City USA designation, they must have a tree board, an ordinance for tree-care, a forestry budget of a minimum of $2 per capita, as well as a proclamation to observe Arbor Day, said a release.
“We not only celebrate our trees on Arbor Day…We celebrate our future – leaving a legacy of clean air, beauty and good stewardship for generations to come,” said City Manager W. Patrick Pate in a release.
