Welcome to Urban and Community Forestry

Urban forests are trees for people!

They are dynamic ecosystems that provide environmental services such as clean air and water. Trees cool cities and save energy; improve air quality; strengthen quality of place and local economies; reduce storm water runoff; improve social connections; complement smart growth; and create walkable communities.

Learn more about this critical resource and what the Forest Service is doing to protect it…

Spotlight

Urban Forests in the News

National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council

2014 Urban and Community Forestry Challenge Cost Share grant applications are to be submitted by July 15, 2013.

Setting Trees Free in Public

Last week's TreePeople project was to remove heavy reinforced concrete collars from around the roots of each tree as well as posts and ties from their trunks. The idea was to set the trees free.

Sustaining America's Urban Trees and Forests: A Forests on the Edge Report

The distribution of urban tree cover and the benefits of urban forests vary across the United States, as do the challenges of sustaining this important resource. Learn more from this new US Forest Service report.

Annual Statewide Conference: Sustainable Choices for Today,
Planting for Tomorrow

Celebrate Mississippi Arbor Week and learn about the newest aspects of “Greening Your Community, Home or Business.”February 9th - 10th, 2011.

TreeLink

For additional urban forestry information and networking opportunities, please visit our partners at TreeLink. Knoledge empowering people and technology enabling cities to support urban & community forests.

More trees in a city bring surprising benefit, Portland study finds

Pregnant women living in houses graced by more trees were significantly less likely to deliver undersized babies.

Green infrastructure

Conservation planning using a green infrastructure approach helps communities balance environmental and economic goals to achieve smarter, more sustainable land use patterns.

Join the online network of professionals.

Tree Owner's Manual

One common issue facing our urban forests is the fact that trees are dying prematurely. Many are planted improperly, setting them up for failure. Many do not receive regular maintenance. And few are adequately protected during construction projects. To help remedy this issue, the Forest Service has created this Tree Owner’s Manual.

Greenhouse Warming and Landscape Care

Greenhouse Warming and Landscape Care and other reports from the Northern Research Station highlight the importance of trees and "green" landscaping practices in reducing the urban carbon footprint.

Tree Rings and the Local Environment

Reading this article, you will be able to define tree rings and describe how they are formed, explain the types of information that can be gathered from tree ring records and why they are useful, and describe the science of dendrochronology and the importance of crossdating in assigning tree ring calendar years. CEUs for this article apply to Certified Arborist, Utility Specialist, Municipal Specialist, Tree/Worker Climber, and the BCMA science category.