Tree and shade plan development resources

This toolkit is designed to communicate the benefits of the urban forest and provide policy guidelines to enable municipalities to move toward achieving a sustainable urban ecosystem. Fact sheets about carbon dioxide, energy, air quality, water quality and runoff, economics, social benefits, and planting and maintenance describe the various benefits that urban trees provide in a form that is both understandable and informative. These fact sheets are reinforced with a policy guide, three case studies, an assessment of software tools, and a protocol that will better illustrate how cities can achieve healthy urban forests.

Read the full report here.

This guide made by the University of Florida for Hillsborough County discusses best practices for tree selection, planting, and maintenance.

View the website here.

This webpage is a portal to view Phoenix, AZ’s Tree and Shade Master Plan as well as other resources in the Phoenix Valley that facilitate tree planning, planting, and maintenance.

View the webpage here.

This webpage lists the City of Tempe’s urban forestry resources, including their Urban Forestry Masterplan.

Access the website here.

The City recognizes the value and benefits of the urban forest, and the need for an integrated and adaptive approach to hands-on maintenance and caring for our trees. To address the needs of Seattle’s urban forest, the City introduced the Urban Forest Management Plan in 2007 as a guiding document for action. This 30-year plan set a goal to increase Seattle’s canopy cover to 30 percent by 2037 and created a framework for City departments, non-profit organizations, residents, and the community as a whole to support efforts to maintain the urban forest.

View the plan here.