The City of Goleta is celebrating Arbor Week this week with several events, and was recently recognized as a Tree City for the seventh year in a row.

On Tuesday, the City Council proclaimed March 7-14 Arbor Week during the afternoon session of the City Council meeting.

At 5:45 p.m. Tuesday , the winners of the 2014 Arbor Week Drawing and Photography Contest will be announced at a reception in the City Council Chambers. The City Council will recognize the artists and their week immediately following at the 6 p.m. City Council meeting. The artwork will be on display in the City Council chambers throughout the spring.

At 2 p.m. Thursday, the city will plant a tree at the Winchester II Open Space located on Calle Real near Jenna Drive.

Directions: Take Highway 101 north. Exit Winchester Canyon and turn right at Union 76 (Winchester Canyon Road). Turn right on Calle Real. Winchester II is on the south side of the street with the low chain link fence.

Goleta has also been named a 2013 Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation in honor of its commitment to effective urban forest management.

Goleta achieved Tree City USA recognition by meeting the program’s four requirements: a tree board or department, a tree care ordinance, an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.

The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation, in partnership wit the U.S. Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters.

Cleaner air, improved storm water management, energy savings and increased property values and commercial activity are among the benefits enjoyed by the Tree City USA communities. More information on the program is available by clicking here.

— Valerie Kushnerov is a public information officer for the City of Goleta.