Our Programs

Developing Local Urban & Community Forestry Programs

The purpose of evaluating the status of urban and community forestry programs in cities and towns is twofold.  One, it is a requirement for determining the amount of grant money Tennessee receives from the USDA Forest Service.  Two, it provides an assessment of where Tennessee communities stand with their program development.

One of the goals of the Urban and Community Forestry Program is to establish and build local urban and community forestry programs to a managing level.  A community at the managing level is deemed to have in place all four of the following elements:

• A local advocacy/advisory organization, such as, active tree boards, commissions, or non-profit organizations that are formalized or chartered to advise and/or advocate for the planting, protection, and maintenance of urban and community trees and forests.
• Employed or retained through written agreement the services of professional forestry staff.
• A local/county ordinance or policies that focus on planting, protecting, and maintaining their urban and community trees and forests.
• An active urban & community tree and forest management plans developed from professionally-based resource assessments/inventories.

Managing Programs have all four elements in place.  Developing Programs have between one & three of the four elements in place.  Initiating Tree Programs have none of the elements in place.