Building With Trees Awards of Excellence Announced

Nebraska City, Neb. -- Conservation-minded builders and developers around the country have been named to receive the 2002 Awards of Excellence in the Building With Trees Recognition program. The program, sponsored by The National Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the National Association of Home Builders and FireWise Communities, recognizes builders and developers who save trees during construction and land development.

Winners of the 2002 Building With Trees Awards of Excellence are:

The Farlow Hill project, developed by The Green Companies of Newton, Mass. The project was recognized in the residential development category of 1 to 25 lots. Working with the city of Newton, the developers preserved and planted trees, and exceeded many local conservation requirements.

The Village Wiestoria project, developed by The Kevin Rea Building Corporation of Bend, Ore. This project was recognized in the residential development category of 26 to 100 lots. Project developers gave special consideration to saving trees during construction and to incorporating green space into the development.

The Overlook project, developed by Crescent Resources of Charlotte, North Carolina. The Overlook project earned Building With Trees distinction in the category of residential developments of 101 to 500 lots. In building Overlook, the developers were recognized for their commitment to watershed preservation, as well as to saving and caring for trees.

The 322-acre Eagle Crossing in Brownsburg, Ind., developed by C.P. Morgan Communities of Indianapolis, Ind. Eagle Crossing has been recognized in the category of residential developments with 501 or more lots. Eagle Crossing includes 100 acres of common open space, with designated tree preservation areas and strict maintenance guidelines for homeowners.

Hidden Oaks Village, developed by Hidden Oaks Apartments, Atascadero, California. The development has been recognized in the residential attached housing category. This 90-unit gated apartment complex was built within a 5-acre blue oak woodland, with great attention paid to the health of the trees.

The Gillespie Residence Sidewalk and Driveway Renovation project, developed by Inside and Out Design Services LLC, Indianapolis, Indiana. The project was given a Special Award for Exemplary Effort in Residential Site Improvement. During the renovation, two mature ginkgo biloba trees were preserved, resulting in a written tree preservation plan, pre-construction root pruning, and close collaboration between the builder, site manager, and owner.

The Village of Riverwoods, Illinois, Water and Sewer Improvements project also received a Special Award for Exemplary Effort in Public Infrastructure. The Village of Riverwoods has long been active in tree preservation, culminating in their passage of a comprehensive tree preservation ordinance in 2000. In renovating their sewer and water facilities, Riverwoods paid special attention to tree preservation, resulting in a model program of installing sewer and water systems.

A jury of development industry and urban forestry professionals selected the award winners. Criteria considered in the judging included: creativity in and attention to protecting and planting trees during planning, design, and construction, and in providing for long-term tree care; commitment to tree protection by having a tree professional on the development team, inventorying existing trees, and using that information to help preserve trees; and communication of and adherence to tree protection goals throughout construction.

The Awards of Excellence will be presented at the Arbor Day Foundation's Building With Trees National Conference in Nebraska City, Nebraska, on October 7 and 8, 2002. The conference highlights the awards presentation and offers a national forum to discuss the issues involved in tree protection during land development and construction.

In addition to the Awards of Excellence, the Building With Trees program also provides builders and developers the opportunity for recognition following the planning and design phase of a project. Applicants can register their commitment to building with trees by meeting certain criteria, including having a tree expert on the development team, a tree survey prior to planning and design, and a tree conservation plan. The builder and tree expert must also pledge to follow tree preservation guidelines during the construction and maintenance stages of the project. Those who register their pledge receive a plaque, marketing materials, and educational information to help showcase their commitment to trees to homebuyers, the public, and community officials.

To receive a free booklet on the Building With Trees Recognition Program, contact The National Arbor Day Foundation, 100 Arbor Avenue, Nebraska City, NE 68410, tel. 402-474-5655, or visit the Foundation's Web site at www.arborday.org/programs/BuildWTrees.html. The Arbor Day Foundation is a nonprofit education organization dedicated to tree planting and environmental stewardship.

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