KNOXVILLE -- The Arbor Day Foundation has recognized Knoxville as a Tree City USA community for the 21st consecutive year. To earn this honor, a city must have a tree board or department, a tree-care ordinance, a community forestry program, and an Arbor Day observance.

Knoxville's Public Service Department budgets $40,000 each year to plant new trees in public spaces, including medians and parks and along streets and greenways. Thousands of trees were damaged or killed by violent storms in 2011. The City is replanting trees to replace those lost.

"We have a longstanding commitment to maintaining a healthy urban tree population," said Public Service Director David Brace. "Trees are a vital part of the landscape of our neighborhoods and parks. They enhance Knoxville's natural beauty, and they also help filter the air, conserve water and provide habitat for birds and other wildlife."

The City of Knoxville actually participates in two Arbor Day recognitions: the state of Tennessee's on the first Friday in March and the national celebration on the last Friday in April. This year there will be a ceremony at Ijams Nature Center on April 27. For more information on the City's Tree Board and tree programs, visit www.cityofknoxville.org/boards/treeboard.