Trees
Forest Service Rescinds Tree Planting Grants
The $75 million program fell victim to the federal government’s purge of ‘DEI’-related projects.
A Plan to Expand Tree Canopy Across Dayton
Dayton is developing an urban forest master plan, using a $2 million grant to expand its tree canopy, address decades of tree loss, and enhance environmental equity across the city.
Preserving Altadena’s Trees: A Community Effort to Save a Fire-Damaged Landscape
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena Green is working to preserve fire-damaged but recoverable trees, advocating for better assessment processes, educating homeowners, and protecting the community’s urban canopy from unnecessary removal.
LA’s Trees Absorb More Carbon Than Expected, But Can’t Do It Alone
A USC study finds that Los Angeles’ urban trees absorb more carbon than expected, but while they provide crucial environmental benefits, they cannot replace the urgent need for systemic emissions reductions.
Opinion: Housing Versus Trees Is a False Choice; Swap Pavement for Trees Instead
Seattle’s goal to cover 30 percent of the city with tree canopy by 2037 doesn’t need to be sacrificed in favor of density. There’s a better way.
Growing Green: How Parks and Trees Shape Honolulu’s Future
Honolulu is expanding its urban tree canopy through community-driven park revitalization efforts, emphasizing the environmental, social, and cultural benefits of trees in creating a more resilient and equitable city.
Rethinking Fire-Resistant Landscaping: Which Trees Should We Plant?
Fire experts emphasize the need to replace highly flammable trees like Mexican fan palms and eucalyptus with fire-resistant species such as oak, sycamore, and toyon, while also strengthening home fire defenses to reduce wildfire risks in California.
Urban Forestry as a Pathway to Equity and Opportunity
Urban forestry job training programs are creating economic opportunities for underrepresented individuals while addressing workforce shortages and advancing tree equity in communities most impacted by environmental disparities.
New Interactive Tool Helps Cities Assess and Strengthen Urban Tree Canopies
A new national tree canopy assessment tool, available at TreesAtWork.org, provides high-resolution data to help cities track tree cover changes, prioritize planting efforts, and enhance urban resilience.
Rethinking Los Angeles Landscapes: Balancing Iconic Trees and Fire Resilience
L.A. must balance fire resilience with ecological preservation by gradually replacing flammable non-native plants like eucalyptus and palm trees with native and fire-resistant species while rethinking urban landscapes and land management practices.
Annapolis Unveils Interactive Map to Boost Urban Tree Canopy
Annapolis has launched an interactive Tree Canopy Map to engage residents in urban forestry efforts, highlighting tree coverage data and encouraging community involvement to achieve the city’s 50 percent canopy goal by 2050.
The Urban Heat Divide: Addressing LA’s Thermal Inequities
LA's thermal inequities leave low-income, minority neighborhoods disproportionately hotter and more vulnerable, prompting advocacy and policy efforts to address these disparities through green infrastructure and equitable climate investments.
Fighting Forest Pests With AI: A Hemlock Success Story
Fairfax County utilized GeoAI and ArcGIS technology to efficiently map and protect its hemlock trees from the invasive woolly adelgid, ensuring targeted pest management and preservation of its evergreen canopy.
How AI Is Revolutionizing Urban Forestry and Climate Resilience
Tree-D Fusion, an AI-driven tool developed by MIT and Purdue researchers, generates 3D models of urban trees to help city planners visualize future green spaces, address climate challenges, and enhance urban livability and sustainability.
Phoenix Shade Plan Focuses on Bus Stops
The city’s updated Shade Master Plan calls for trees and built structures at bus stops to protect residents from heat.
Oak Survival in the Great Lakes: Adapting to a Changing World
Climate change is endangering oaks in the Great Lakes region by increasing their vulnerability to pests, diseases, and extreme weather, threatening their vital ecological role.
New Orleans Seeks Consultants for $8M Tree Planting Initiative
The city seeks consultancy firms to help implement an $8 million USDA Urban and Community Forestry Grant, advancing its goal of planting 40,000 trees by 2030 and strengthening urban sustainability and resilience.
Oakland Adopts Urban Forest Plan to Foster Equity and Environmental Justice
The Oakland City Council has adopted its first Urban Forest Plan, a 50-year roadmap focused on equitable tree care, canopy preservation, and environmental justice to benefit underserved communities.
Cities Prioritize Urban Reforestation to Combat Heat and Revitalize Communities
Cities like Phoenix, Chicago, and Boise are prioritizing urban reforestation as critical green infrastructure to combat extreme heat, address environmental inequities, and foster community revitalization.
A Framework for Inclusive Tree Planting in Los Angeles
The Los Angeles Urban Forest Equity Collective has developed an equity-centered tree-planting framework and toolkit to address historic underinvestment and mitigate extreme heat in vulnerable neighborhoods.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
