Mighty trees: Idaho Falls earns Legacy of Leaves award

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho – The award-winning tree canopy in Idaho Falls has garnered another recognition.

The City of Idaho Falls received the “Legacy of Leaves” honor for 2025 by the Idaho Nursery and Landscape Association.

The award follows an Arbor Day celebration last spring where Sunnyside Elementary and Career and Technical Education Center students planted 17 trees at Heritage Park.

“We spend a lot of time and effort on our urban forestry canopy here in Idaho Falls,” the city’s Parks and Recreation Director PJ Holm said. 

Idaho Falls has also been designated a “Tree City, USA” for 33 consecutive years.

“We are a long-time recipient of Tree City, USA, which says that you put a portion of your city's budget back into tree maintenance and tree canopies,” Holm explained.

The Idaho Falls Riverwalk and local parks boast a wide variety of tree species and flora.

“I love how when I walk through downtown and I walk through the park, I just see so many trees,” said Idaho Falls resident Hunter Demmerly. “I get to see the beautiful river that overlooks the city. It's a kind of a highlight to my day when I'm on my way to work.”

Fellow Greenbelt stroller Nick Bellegante moved here from the state capital. 

“I lived in Boise for about a decade, and for a place called the 'City of Trees,' I have to say, Idaho Falls has it beat!” Bellegante said. “They're everywhere! It really gives the town its own personality.”