The Arbor Day Foundation has officially named Santa Ana a 2025 Tree City USA, marking the city’s 27th consecutive year receiving this prestigious honor. This recognition highlights the city’s long-term commitment to urban forestry, managed through a dedicated Environmental and Transportation Advisory Committee and a comprehensive Tree Care Ordinance established in 1999.
This year, Santa Ana also earned the Growth Award for its exceptional “2:1 ratio” strategy—planting and maintaining two trees for every one removed to aggressively expand the local canopy. With a current urban forest of approximately 50,000 street trees and an annual investment exceeding $4 million, Santa Ana continues to set a high standard for environmental stewardship in Orange County.
How Santa Ana Compares to Neighboring Cities
Santa Ana stands out as a regional leader in urban forest management, particularly due to its longevity in the program and its aggressive 2:1 planting ratio.
- Longevity: While neighbors like Tustin (30 years) have participated longer, Santa Ana’s 27-year streak surpasses Costa Mesa (21 years) and Fullerton.
- Scale of Investment: Santa Ana’s $4 million+ annual budget and 50,000-tree inventory are significant for its size, meeting the “Tree City” requirement of spending at least $2 per capita on tree care.
- Recent Momentum: The city is currently “rethinking” its forest to move away from non-shade species toward trees that better sequester carbon and mitigate the urban heat island effect, which is a major focus for densely populated areas.
Other 2025 Orange County Tree City USA Honorees
Santa Ana is in good company, as several other Orange County cities also met the Arbor Day Foundation’s four core standards (Tree Board, Tree Ordinance, $2 Per Capita Budget, and Arbor Day Celebration):
- Anaheim
- Costa Mesa (21st year)
- Fullerton
- Irvine
- Tustin (30th year)
Recommended Trees for Santa Ana Residents
For residents looking to plant on their own property, experts recommend species that are drought-tolerant and adapted to Southern California’s microclimates. The city recently planted Coast Live Oaks at seven local parks because they are native, support local wildlife, and can live for up to 250 years.
Top Residential Picks:
- Native & Durable: Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia), Valley Oak, and California Sycamore.
- Flowering & Ornamental: Jacaranda (iconic purple blooms), Crape Myrtle (low maintenance, variety of colors), and Western Redbud (magenta spring flowers).
- Fruit Trees: Residents have reported great success with Lemon, Avocado, and Fig trees in the local clay soil.
For assistance with City-owned trees, residents can contact the Public Works Maintenance Services Division at (714) 647-3380.