URBAN & COMMUNITY FORESTRY
  • Across the state of Texas, from small towns to urban neighborhoods, trees play a vital role in our communities. Trees help give a community its sense of place, and provide environmental, economic and social benefits. 

     

    Community forestry involves the selection, planting and long-term care of the trees where we live—in our cities, neighborhoods and communities. Trees growing in our cities are an important asset, and an integral part of the infrastructure that must be managed in order to sustain community livability and quality of life. 

     

     
     
     

    TEXAS A&M FOREST SERVICE URBAN FORESTRY PROGRAM

     
    Texas A&M Forest Service urban foresters act as facilitators, bringing together interested parties to find local solutions to local tree problems. By finding and training local leaders, TFS urban foresters help increase public awareness of the value of urban trees, raise the skill level of local tree workers, set quality standards for tree planting and care and guide communities toward sustainable management of their community forests.
     
    To find your Regional Urban Forester, please refer to our Community Forestry Program map. 

    BENEFITS OF TREES

     
    Trees provide many economic, social, and environmental benefits that lead to improved well-being and a better quality of life. These are just a few of the services trees provide to Texans:

     One large tree

    • Energy Conservation
      • Trees help conserve energy by casting summer shade and blocking chilly winter winds. Strategically placed trees help conserve energy around your home.
    • Stormwater Control
      • To cope with storm runoff, cities must construct expensive systems to capture and control stormwater. Trees intercept rainfall that would otherwise run off of impervious surfaces such as rooftops, roads and parking lots.
    • Clean and Cool Air
      • As a by-product of commerce and development, urban areas generate heat and pollution. Large shade trees filter air and reduce ambient temperatures.
    • Community Well-being and Human Health
      • Many studies have shown that a treed environment helps reduce stress and helps people focus better and stay on task. Neighborhoods with healthy trees have lower crime rates and street trees reduce the frequency and severity of traffic accidents.
    • Job Creation
      The care and management of trees contributes substantially to the Texas economy, providing an estimated $4.7 billion in inudstry output and 57,465 jobs.