Cheyenne celebrates Arbor Day, marks 43 years as a Tree City USA

Published on April 24, 2025

Cheyenne Urban Forestry and the City of Cheyenne observed Arbor Day on Thursday, April 24, 2025, celebrating 43 years as a Tree City USA and 28 years with the Arbor Day Foundation’s Growth Award.

Thursday’s ceremony at Sun Valley Park included third graders from Sunrise Elementary School, who helped plant four trees in the park and learned about urban forestry from City staff.

Mayor Patrick Collins read this year’s Arbor Day proclamation and Urban Forestry and Rooted in Cheyenne gave three awards to individuals and groups in the community:

• Bill Gonzales was given the Partner of the Year award for his efforts in assisting Urban Forestry in his role with the City’s Street and Alley Division,
• Krista and Nestor Gallardo of Big Bird Landscaping were recognized as the Rooted in Cheyenne Volunteers of the Year for their stewardship in the community and for serving as crew leaders, and
• Joel Emerick and Eric Kilmer of Freedom’s Edge Brewing Co. received the Rooted in Cheyenne Sponsor of the Year for being long-time sponsors of Rooted’s planting days and helping with Rooted events.

Cheyenne’s tenure as a Tree City USA is the longest in Wyoming and among the longest of communities in the Front Range.

To qualify as a Tree City, a city must meet four standards: form a tree board or department, establish a tree care ordinance, maintain a community forestry program with an annual budget of at least $2 per capita, and proclaim and observe Arbor Day. Growth Awards are given to communities that demonstrate higher levels of tree care and community engagement during the calendar year.

To learn more about Arbor Day, visit https://www.arborday.org.

To learn more about Rooted in Cheyenne, visit www.rootedincheyenne.com.

To learn more about Cheyenne Urban Forestry, visit www.cheyennetrees.com.

Photos of this year’s ceremony and event are available on the City’s Flickr account at https://www.flickr.com/people/cityofcheyenne.