Sugar Land Again Named Tree City USA

June 06, 2016

That Riverstone residents enjoy paths dotted with trees and shady parks should come as no surprise, given that Sugar Land was recently named a 2015 Tree City USA community by the Arbor Day Foundation.

This is the fifth consecutive year the city has been recognized for its tree-friendly policies. The foundation considers four standards for the prestigious distinction, including an established tree board or department, a tree-care ordinance, a community forestry program with annual expenditures of at least $2 per capita and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.

Over the years, Sugar Land has invested heavily in its urban forests, sponsoring a number of projects designed to ensure a healthy arboreal system. The city’s streetscape policy ensures that major roadways incorporate landscaping, including trees that expand Sugar Land’s canopy. A professional arborist has been engaged to assist with the preservation of that canopy along public right-of-ways.

Sugar Land also partners with organizations such as CenterPoint Energy and Santrol to plant and preserve trees. The Sugar Land Parks Department and 30 Santrol employees planted 75 saplings in Sugar Land Memorial Park last year. The city and CenterPoint Energy created an arbor trail in the same park, demonstrating the species of trees that grow well in in Sugar Land without conflicting with overhead utilities.

In addition to the Tree City USA designation, Sugar Land had previously received a gold level Scenic City Certification. The certification process provides third-party evaluations of existing scenic infrastructure ordinances

Many Riverstone neighborhoods boast coveted Sugar Land addresses. The Fort Bend development is the top-selling master-planned community in Texas defined by beautiful surroundings, including stocked lakes, meandering waterways, abundant greenbelts and nearly 20 miles of trails connecting neighborhoods and parks. Homes in Riverstone are priced from the $300,000s. For more information on the community’s outstanding amenities visit, www.riverstone.com/amenities.