Cloquet regains Tree City status

City administrator Tim Peterson announced Cloquet has earned Tree City status once again, recognition that the city makes the planting and care of trees a priority. It had been more than a decade since Cloquet was officially declared a Tree City.

City staff worked with the Arbor Day Foundation to meet requirements the past year.

“It quite honestly takes a whole lot of work to get it set up initially, and Caleb and his staff took that on,” he said, referring to public works director Caleb Peterson.

He said it wasn’t so much a change of programming as simply reapplying for the status. “To be listed, you have to recertify and reapply every year,” he said. “We went through the work of actually tracking what we did for a year.”

For its efforts, the city received a flag, signage for the community and other branding materials. The city is required to spend some funds on trees or tree-related items, including staff time on trimming and caring for trees on city property, which they will also inventory in the future. The program provides access to other resources.

On March 15, Mayor Roger Maki read a proclamation declaring Arbor Day on April 29. “Arbor Day provides people of Minnesota the opportunity to celebrate the importance of trees and forests to our economy, culture, history and future of the state,” he said, pointing out the value of trees for clean air and water, habitat, shade, energy savings, jobs and fighting climate change.

“Choosing, planting and caring for a diverse mix of trees now supports resilient communities into the future,” Maki said.

— Jana Peterson / Pine Knot News