Erin Givens (second from left), Vegetation Program Manager, received the Florida Urban Forestry Council’s (FUFC) Friends of Our Urban Forest 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award during the OUC Board of Commissioners meeting on March 7. With her are: Britta Gross (left), President of the Board; Dr. Deborah Hilbert (center), Executive Director of FUFC; LeMoyne Adams, Vice President of Electric & Water Distribution (second from right); and Clint Bullock, General Manager & CEO.
Erin Givens, Vegetation Program Manager, has been honored with the Friends of Our Urban Forest 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award by the Florida Urban Forestry Council (FUFC). This accolade recognizes Givens’ 10-plus years of service on FUFC’s executive committee and her leadership as president of the non-profit statewide organization in 2022.
“With her role at OUC, she is increasing awareness of how trees and utilities can co-exist for the benefit of communities and citizens,” added Dr. Deborah Hilbert, Executive Director of FUFC, who presented Givens with the award during the OUC Board of Commissioners meeting on March 7.
In her position at OUC, Givens supervises tree trimming activities around distribution and transmission lines. This vital maintenance practice helps safeguard against power disruptions caused by tree limbs and branches coming into contact with powerlines. Givens also procures seedlings for tree giveaways, guides customers on planting the appropriate tree in the right location, shares her knowledge at Earth Day events and assists OUC community volunteer projects that include landscape beautification work.
FUFC is made up of municipalities, arborists, utility foresters, community tree board members, tree advocates, volunteers, horticulturists, landscape professionals and citizens interested in the care of trees in their communities.
