What does the SMA Accreditation mean to your department?
What was the process of applying like? What feedback
have you gotten from the City leadership?
Nik: SMA Accreditation sets a high bar for our
program and programs around the world based
on industry and professional standards for
urban forestry. It formally recognizes achieve-
ments in our field and as such, it's foremost an
impressive credential that means a lot to us.
The process of applying was interesting for me
because it involved researching our urban for-
estry program, really digging in and learning
a lot about aspects of it that I wasn't all that
familiar with. That was a nice side benefit of
applying—that I/we got to take this deep dive.
Also, the network of communities that are SMA
Accredited serves as a resource for one another.
We can consult with other accredited municipali-
ties about how they manage their urban forestry
challenges and obstacles. Urban forestry is a rapidly
advancing science and field; being part of this
network recognizes that we're on the forefront.
Gina: SMA Accreditation tangibly demonstrates the
achievement and caliber of our department's urban
forestry program to City Council and to our commu-
nity partners. It provides context for our work on
a global scale. We can talk about what we do—and
we do that routinely—but the SMA Accreditation
provides a scale and a metric for Council and for
others not familiar with the field of urban for-
estry. That means a lot. It's a feather in our cap.
We've received positive feedback from the
Portland Mayor's office and from our City Council
members after we shared the news with them.
It reassures them that we're on the right track
for the whole city. All Portlanders can feel proud
of this achievement, which has been decades in
the making and reflects the efforts of countless
volunteers and staff from all walks of life. >>
Now's the Time to Pursue
SMA Accreditation!
SMA Accreditation is a peer-reviewed program that formally recognizes urban and com-
munity forestry programs for implementing excellent and comprehensive management
practices. Accreditation is structured to build on the Arbor Day Foundation's successful
Tree City USA designation by incorporating additional professional standards deemed
important by SMA for managing municipal trees. SMA Accreditation applies to programs
internationally, not just in the United States. SMA Accreditation sets a high bar and offers
the highest recognition for notable accomplishments in urban and community forestry.
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