ʻO Sacramento City Forester Joe Benassini ka mea i loaʻa iā Arbor Day Award 2012 e hoʻohanohano ana i kāna hāʻawi koʻikoʻi i ke kanu lāʻau, mālama, a me ka mālama ʻana. ʻO Benassini kekahi o nā kānaka 16 a me nā hui i ʻike ʻia e ka Arbor Day Foundation i kēia makahiki. Loaʻa iā ia ka Champion of Trees Award no ka hoʻomaopopo ʻana i kāna alakaʻi i ka holomua ʻana i nā kulekele ākea o ka ululāʻau.
"Ma ka hoʻolaʻa ʻana i kona ola ʻoihana i ka ululāʻau kūlanakauhale kūpono a me ka hoʻolako ʻana i ka mālama lāʻau koʻikoʻi ma o ke alakaʻi ikaika a me nā kulekele hoʻolālā, lawelawe ʻo Joe Benassini i kumu hoʻohālike no nā limahana mālama lāʻau," wahi a John Rosenow, ka mea hoʻokumu a me ka luna nui o ka Arbor Day Foundation.
Mai ka makahiki 1972, ua ʻike ka Arbor Day Foundation i ka hana o ke alakaʻi ʻana i nā mea mālama kaiapuni a me nā mea kanu lāʻau ma o ka makahiki Arbor Day Awards. No ka ʻike hou aku e pili ana i nā makana a me nā mea loaʻa i kēia makahiki, hiki iā ʻoe ke heluhelu i ka hoʻokuʻu paʻi piha maanei.