Urban and Community Forestry | Services for Local Governments

URBAN & COMMUNITY FORESTRY

- Growing Texas: a community handbook is a resource to help maintain sense of place and quality of life as your city grows.
- Urban Forestry Management planning is a key component of a sustainable community forestry program.
- Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Planning Guide, a resource and workbook that helps plan for, understand, and reduce the impact of EAB in your community.
- Storm Planning Guide is a resource and workbook that helps you create an emergency storm plan for your community.
- Tree Ordinance Tutorial: Learn what makes certain clauses effective and download a fillable public tree care ordinance document.
- Urban Tree Canopy is the layer of leaves, stems and branches that cover the ground when viewed from above. Urban growth can put existing canopy at risk, but can also provide an opportunity to grow your tree canopy. TFS displays UTC analyses for communities across Texas through the UTC app on Texas Forest Info.
- Inventories & Assessments help define the value of your urban forest.
- Training and Workshops are available year-round. Contact your Regional Urban Forester or check our calendar for more information.
- Making your community compatible with nature (PDF, 2.1MB)
- Drought Tips
- Urban Forestry Information Sheets
+ Tree City USA / Tree Campus USA / Tree Line USA
Tree City USA is an elite designation for communities that meet minimum standards set by the Arbor Day Foundation for community forestry programs. Texas A&M Forest Service foresters help leaders qualify for, apply and maintain the distinction.
Tree Campus USA recognizes excellence in campus tree care as well as student engagement in tree-related projects within the surrounding community.
Tree Line USA recognizes best practices in public and private utility arboriculture, while emphasizing the value trees have in conserving energy.

All three in one community is a trifecta of Trees USA and shows a collaborative effort in enhancing the forest where we live, work, and play.
+ Community Forest Program Grant Application
The Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program (Community Forest Program) protects forests that are important for people and the places they call home. The CFP program is a USFS grant program open to local governments, qualified nonprofit organizations and Indian Tribes to conserve forest lands that provide community benefits and public access.

Check the Community Forest Program Road Map and Appendices for complete information on the program and process
Community Forest Program Fact Sheet
Review an application sample and how applications are scored
Application
Download a flyer or get more information
+ Urban Forestry Regional Offices

RELATED INFORMATION

NATIVE VS. NON-NATIVE VS. INVASIVE SPECIES

The tree landscape in Texas is made up by a variety of species. From ponderosa pines in West Texas to oaks in Central Texas to dogwoods in East Texas, trees play a vital role in our ecosystem and provide countless benefits. But, what about species that cause negative impacts – invasive species?

AFTER THE STORM

Storms often leave trees looking bare and deflated—but these looks can be deceiving. Trees have an uncanny ability to recover from storm damage. Before assuming your trees are lost, give them a quick assessment.

CAREERS

Texas A&M Forest Service offers careers that can take you anywhere from a wildfire line defending lives and homes, to a forest protecting and conserving Texas natural resources to a computer working on a new application to create solutions for Texans across the state.

NEWSROOM

Bexar Branches Alliance, City of College Station receive grants for urban forest sustainability
Texas A&M Forest Service has awarded two grants to community programs that promote urban and community forestry.

Palo Pinto County develops Community Wildfire Protection Plan to address wildfire risk
Palo Pinto County has adopted a Community Wildfire Protection Plan to reduce risks and better prepare for wildfires.

Bexar County Emergency Service District No. 7 implements Community Wildfire Protection Plan to address wildfire risk
Bexar County Emergency Service District No. 7 has adopted a plan to reduce risks and better prepare for wildfires.

3/13/2023 5:40:00 PM
Palo Pinto County develops Community Wildfire Protection Plan to address wildfire risk
Palo Pinto County has adopted a Community Wildfire Protection Plan to reduce risks and better prepare for wildfires.

2/28/2023 2:50:00 PM
Bexar County Emergency Service District No. 7 implements Community Wildfire Protection Plan to address wildfire risk
Bexar County Emergency Service District No. 7 has adopted a plan to reduce risks and better prepare for wildfires.

NATIVE VS. NON-NATIVE VS. INVASIVE SPECIES

AFTER THE STORM

CAREERS

NEWSROOM

NATIVE VS. NON-NATIVE VS. INVASIVE SPECIES

AFTER THE STORM

CAREERS

TEXAS A&M FOREST SERVICE

TEXAS A&M FOREST SERVICE

ADMINISTRATION

ADMINISTRATION

STATE OF TEXAS

STATE OF TEXAS

SOCIAL

BREAKING NEWS

SOCIAL

BREAKING NEWS