What is Community Forestry?

The community forest is the aggregate of all vegetation and green spaces within communities that provide benefits vital to enriching the quality of life. Properly cared for and well-managed community forests can provide benefits that far exceed their management costs. Community forests can also bring communities of people together and form connections between humans and the urban flora and fauna.

Additionally, community forests are an integral part of large cities, rural areas, streets, backyards, parks, and open spaces. Community forests provide shade, beauty, and habitat for urban wildlife. Properly planted trees and other vegetation can reduce heating and cooling costs, intercept and store rainwater, improve air quality, and increase property values and local tax bases.

Simply stated, community forestry is the combination of planning, establishment, management, and research of trees and associated plants (individually, in groups, or under forest conditions) within cities, suburbs, and towns. Community forestry addresses the interface between people, the built environment and trees through a dynamic interaction of forestry, horticulture, arboriculture, landscape architecture and urban planning. As cities continue to grow, increasing numbers of people will choose to live, work, and play in community forests, making the field of community forestry critical for healthy and sustainable living.

Tree City USA Program is a community improvement and accreditation program. Learn how to become one.

Benefits of Urban Trees - Trees, which are important assets to America's cities and towns, improve our environment and quality of life.

TreesSC - Non-profit organization to support U&CF activities. (opens in a new window)

Urban Links - Other Urban Forestry and Tree Related Websites.

COMMUNITY FORESTRY NEWS & EVENTS

Forest Resource Institute February 19-21, 2012


Some links on this page require Adobe Acrobat reader. If you don't have Acrobat Reader you can get it free from Adobe Systems Inc. Get Acrobat Reader Adobe(R) Acrobat(R) Copyright © 2010 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved.