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City of Vancouver, Washington

 Vancouver's Urban Forester Recognized for Significant Achievement

Friday, November 06, 2009
Contact: see below

Contacts: Rich McConaghy, Environmental Resources Manager, City of Vancouver, 360-619-4125 or or Charles Ray, Urban Forester, City of Vancouver, 360-619-1128.

Charles Ray, City of Vancouver Urban Forester, has been recognized as Municipal Arborist for 2009 by the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture. 

(in the photo: Charles Ray, Urban Forester, helps two young volunteers add to Vancouver’s growing tree canopy)

Pacific Northwest ISA President-elect Bryce Landrud made the announcement in October at the chapter's 30th Annual Training Conference in British Columbia. Ray did not attend the conference and only recently learned of the award, which is presented annually to "a municipal arborist who has significantly improved the quality or arboricultural care in a particular city, state, or province." Award recipients are selected from nominees submitted from throughout the Pacific Northwest. 

Ray credited the Urban Forest Commission, a seven-member citizen advisory group, and his co-workers in Public Works and Vancouver-Clark Parks and Recreation for the leadership, guidance and support. "This was really a team achievement," Ray said. 

Along with the Columbia River, trees are one of Vancouver's most prominent natural features. Besides improving the livability and vitality of our community, Vancouver's trees provide numerous environmental benefits, including reductions in air pollution and stormwater runoff. Vancouver's Urban Forestry Program is designed to maximize these benefits that trees provide to city residents and visitors by preserving, managing and enhancing existing trees and promoting the reforestation of the urban area with community support and participation.

For 2009 alone, Urban Forestry has planted 683 trees to date, working with its many partners – businesses, organizations and residents -- to accomplish the task. Another 135 are scheduled to be planted this fall, bringing the total to 818 new trees in Vancouver in 2009. That doesn't include the 200 seedlings and 510 shrubs that also were planted in 2009.

In addition to serving as Vancouver's Urban Forester, Ray is also a member of the Clark College Agriculture/Horticulture Advisory Committee. He is certified through the International Society of Arboriculture as an Arborist and Municipal Specialist, and has worked for the City of Columbus, Ohio, and in commercial arboriculture in the Vancouver-Portland metro area before coming to the City of Vancouver in 2001. Arborists are professionals who have demonstrated, through a professionally developed exam and education program, that they have a thorough knowledge of tree care practices. Municipal arborists are ISA certified and have additional experience with urban trees.

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