Trees along streets, in parks, open spaces, backyards, and across the City provide many essential benefits and constitute an “urban forest”. Tacoma’s urban forest is a valuable asset that, if planned and cared for, will continue to add to the health and well-being of a community for generations to come. We are all under One Canopy and benefit from the proper care and enhancement of Tacoma’s trees.

A successful municipal forestry program contributes to vibrant and healthy communities, while promoting the safety of residents and visitors. The City of Tacoma’s Urban Forest Management Plan (“Plan”) effectively directs City resources towards this mission, supporting healthy neighborhoods and a thriving Puget Sound, growing a better Tacoma for all. The main tenets of this Plan are ensuring public safety, increase operational efficiencies, facilitate short- and long-term sustainable urban forest planning, validate budgets and programs, ensure equitable distribution of green resources and services, and standardize methodology for asset management of the urban forest.

An Urban Forest Team (UF Team) was assembled to develop a plan specifc to Tacoma’s needs. The UF Team includes the City’s Environmental Services Department and key stakeholders, and professional urban forestry consulting firms. The UF Team conducted extensive research and auditing to establish baseline conditions of Tacoma’s urban forest as part of Phase 1 (October 2019) of this Plan. Phase 2 will establish specific actions tied to specific goals and timelines that better support urban forestry to meet the needs and goals expressed by the community. Following Phase 2 (December 2019), a third and final phase (2020) will provide supplemental studies that support implementation of the Plan.

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