Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection

Support for Urban and Community Forests

 Merritt Parkway tree damage tree work

The Urban and Community Forestry (UCF) Program works closely with Connecticut’s municipalities, non-profits, and community groups to help them grow and steward their community forests. One way the UCF Program does this is by directly advising and supporting groups as they plan for and implement action in their communities. This type of direct advice and support is called “technical assistance”.  

The Technical Assistance Program

The UCF Technical Assistance Program is available to any group in Connecticut interested in planting more public trees or improving the management of trees already in their community. General categories of support which may be available through the program include:

  • Site visits (See example site report)
  • General advice and references
  • Tree Ordinance support (What is a tree ordinance?)
  • Stakeholder group development
  • Demonstrations of data and technology tools
  • Accreditation support (Recognition for Urban Forestry Accomplishments)
  • Meeting attendance
  • Presentations and tabling
  • Grant-related project support 

Please see the Technical Assistance Menu for a full description of the services available through the program and how they might support your projects. You can submit a request for technical assistance through our request form. After submitting your request, you will receive a response within three business days with next steps.

In the meantime, please review the urban forestry Resource Library for useful information.  

Tree Talk: open drop-in hours

The UCF program is happy to announce Tree Talk, a recurring virtual drop-in session where any member of the public can ask questions and learn more about urban forestry in Connecticut. These monthly sessions are intended to be casual, conversational opportunities to connect with the state program and learn about best practices, resources, and organizations working across the urban forestry landscape.

This session is open to anyone interested in the trees and forests in their community, including: 

  • Private residents
  • Tree committee members
  • Tree wardens and other municipal staff
  • Nonprofit staff and volunteers 
  • Educators  students 
  • Anyone curious about urban forestry 

Bring your questions and ideas or just listen in to others’ thoughts on how urban and community forests make our towns and cities better places to live. Tree Talk is intended as an educational and informational opportunity. It is not a substitute for formal technical assistance, but it can be a helpful first step in understanding your resources and options.

Tree Talk is held on the second Thursday of each month at 1:00 PM. You can register here to receive a reminder email and attendance link.

Back to the Urban Forestry Program

Content last updated March 2026.