By EDWARD HUSAR

Herald-Whig Staff Writer

The city of Quincy was recognized Tuesday for its efforts to promote the planting of trees.

Quincy -- one of 181 Illinois cities earning "Tree City USA" designation from the National Arbor Day Foundation -- won the top prize at a statewide Tree City USA awards program in Springfield.

The city received a special "Growth" award, which is given to certain cities that go above and beyond in promoting the development of community forestry programs.

But in Quincy's case, the performance in the past year was practically off the charts because of the new "Trees for Tomorrow" program, which encourages efforts to restore the canopy of trees along Maine Street.

Mayor John Spring said all cities were assigned points based on their efforts to promote the planting of new trees, and Quincy officials were told the city's 56-point accumulation set a state record.

"No one has ever amassed so many points as Quincy," Spring said. "It's unbelievable."

He said the city's award was directly related to the Trees for Tomorrow campaign, which has encouraged the planting of trees not just along Maine Street but in other parts of town as well.

The Trees for Tomorrow program was launched in 2007 with the initial goal of planting about 90 trees along Maine Street, between 12th and 24th. The program was an immediate hit with the public. So far, more than 120 trees have been bought, and more than 95 have been planted. More plantings will take place this spring.

Anne St. John, one of the founders of Trees for Tomorrow, said the campaign is now being expanded. The next big push will encourage tree plantings along 24th Street, between Maine and State, and along Maine all the way to 30th.

St. John said she was thrilled to learn Quincy set a state record in points for its tree-planting efforts. "We were blown away by it," she said. "It just spurs us on. Now we're really raring to go."

Communities earn Tree City USA designation if they meet certain basic criteria. They must have a tree board, a tree care ordinance, a community forestry program with an annual budget of at least $2 per capita and an Arbor Day observance. Quincy has been meeting these standards and earning Tree City USA designation for more than 20 years.

St. John, who also chairs the city's Tree Commission, said she's glad to see the city earning some extra recognition because it illustrates how much local residents care about trees.

"People in our community recognize the value of trees," she said.

Spring said Quincy also promotes local tree growth through the city's annual tree-planting program, which sells trees to homeowners at minimal cost. In addition, the city recently received a $40,000 grant from Ameren to help finance a program over the next four years to cut down and replace more than 100 trees that have faced severe pruning because of conflicts with overhead power lines.

-- ehusar@whig.com/221-3378