Urban and Community Forestry Resource Library

The Urban and Community Forestry Program has compiled these resources as a starting point for individuals and groups interested in learning more about urban forestry. Please use these quick links to navigate to the resource you are looking for. If a link is out of date, or you would like to suggest an additional resource, please submit a support form. If you have already reviewed these resources and need more specific help, contact the Technical Assistance Program. 

Benefits of Urban Trees  
Community Engagement and Education
Data
Industry Standards and Contracting for Services 
Infrastructure for Trees 
Invasive Species and Herbicides
Grants and Funding
Law
Municipal Planning 
Planting and Planting Plans 
Program and Project Development 
Tree Inventories
Tree Ordinances and Zoning 
Tree Selection and Biology 
Urban Wood Utilization 
Utilities 

Benefits of Urban Trees

Urban Forest Systems and Green Stormwater Infrastructure: An in-depth exploration of the ways trees support stormwater infrastructure.

Reducing Urban Heat Island Compendium of Strategies: This resource discusses the benefits of urban trees in reducing urban heat and outlines key project considerations. 

The Value of Trees: This set of pages from the Arbor Day Foundation details the range of benefits from trees close to home. 

 

Community Engagement and Education 

Tree Equity Handbook: A set of toolkits from American Forests to help advance tree equity. 

Community Engagement Strategies for Urban Forestry Projects: A framework for thinking about community engagement, and examples of urban forestry activities involving the public. 

Creating a Grassroots Tree Captain Program: Arbor Day Foundation resource drawing from a real project that outlines and presents a template for project development, focusing heavily on community engagement as a cornerstone. 

Urban and Community Forestry Toolkit (online handbook): Interactive presentation designed by UCONN in partnership with the DEEP Urban and Community Forestry team. 

Master Woodland Manager: An annual educational program for adults organized by the Connecticut Forest and Park Association 

Project Learning Tree: A toolbox of educational modules designed for implementation into K-12 curriculum. 

 

Data 

TreeCanopy.US: A map viewer for tree canopy, heat maps, and basic planning & prioritization tools. 

Tree Equity Score National Explorer: A map viewer that explores canopy cover and measures of tree equity in communities across the United States.  

Connecticut Environmental Conditions Online (ECO): Collaboration between UCONN and CT DEEP with many data viewers and downloads available 

CT DEEP GIS Open Data: Viewers and data downloads available from CT DEEP. 

Google Environmental Insights Explorer: A tool that provides estimates of various environmental features, like tree cover, and land use categorization. A much higher level of data is available to city government affiliates.  

Industry Standards and Contracting for Services 

ANSI A300 Tree Care Standards: Requires purchase; many municipalities have copies for reference. Widely considered the industry standard for tree care.  

American Standard for Nursery Stock (ANSI Z60.2-2025): Industry standard for nurseries, useful if buying or contracting for plants. 

How to Write a Request for Proposals for an Urban and Community Forestry Project: Morton Arboretum 

Planting Details and Specification Sheets: The International Society of Arboriculture hosts a set of peer-reviewed technical specifications for tree installation or protection projects. They are open source and may be freely used or modified without credit. 

Norwalk Tree Planting RFP: The Request for Proposals used by the City of Norwalk to contract for tree planting services. 

Infrastructure for Trees 

Soil Cells Infosheet: A brief “two-pager” written by the Urban and Community Forestry program about soil cells. Includes a short appendix of additional resources.  

Tree Pits with Structural Soils: Resource from a UK-based consultant about structural soils and subsurface tree pits. See also the Structural Soil Series from the American Society of Landscape Architects. 

 

Invasive Species and Herbicides 

Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group (CIPWG) List: All the listed invasive plants in the state; links to additional verified informational sources for each. Note also these additional CIPWG resources: 

• CIPWG Managing Invasive Plants at Home (2022): Excellent resource about managing invasive plants via mostly mechanical means on a smaller scale. 
• CIPWG Management Guide and Invasive Plant Management Calendar: Webpage with specific management practices for selected species, and associated information about best practices for timing of various invasive species management. 
• CIPWG Invasive Terrestrial Plant Disposal Guide: Detailed guidance for disposing of plant matter produced through invasive management. 

Invasive Plants in Your Backyard: A Guide to Their Identification and Control (2025 Expanded Edition): This guide from CT River Coastal Conservation District provides photos for identification and general practices for managing specific invasive plant species.  

Connecticut General Statute § 22a-46: Full text for the Connecticut Pesticide Control Act. 

Connecticut e-License Lookup Tool: Verify that a practitioner holds valid credentials to apply restricted herbicides on the property you manage. 

CT DEEP Page of Pesticide Information: Various informational resources compiled by the Pesticides Management Program at CT DEEP. 

 

Grants and Funding 

Grant Starter Guide: Program-produced resource for developing an urban and community forestry project proposal. 

DEEP Urban and Community Forestry Grants: Current information about DEEP UCF grant program offerings and deadlines. 

Local Capital Improvement Program (LoCIP) for Hazard Tree Removal: A brief summary of information about LoCIP funds and their use for hazard tree removal compiled by the DEEP Urban and Community Forestry program. 

 

Law 

Connecticut Law About Trees: A starting point for researching laws and regulations related to trees in Connecticut. See also Connecticut Laws and Regulations Regarding Trees. 

 

Municipal Planning 

Planning the Urban Forest: Ecology, Economy, and Community Development (required purchase): An extensive publication from the American Planning Association which frames the urban forest as essential civic infrastructure and outlines how planners can integrate trees and forests into land-use decisions to advance goals of environmental resilience, economic development, and community well-being. 

Urban Forestry Toolbox from the American Public Works Association (Requires membership): Describes various methods to protect trees, design for new trees, and outlines the benefits of tracking trees as assets via a tool like a tree inventory. The APWA store contains several publications and books about tree protection and preservation. 

 

Planting and Planting Plans 

CT Tree Owner’s Manual // Manual para el propietario de árboles: A detailed guide to choosing, planting, and caring for trees. 

Stamford Street Planting Manual: An example of the practices and standards followed for tree planting and tree care in Stamford, CT. Includes specifications and acceptable planting lists. 

Urban Resources Initiative Site Survey and Tree Selection: A 30-minute YouTube video outlining how the Urban Resources Initiative of New Haven assesses sites before conducting a tree planting. 

 

Program and Project Development 

Vibrant Cities Lab: Provides an Urban Forestry Roadmap, which links to additional useful resources. 

Implementation Templates, Arbor Day Foundation: Templates for different kinds of urban forestry projects, based on real projects across the United States. 

 

Tree Inventories

What is a Tree Inventory?: Brief “two-pager” produced by the Urban and Community Forestry program about tree inventories; includes links to examples of tree inventory system providers and free tools for simple inventories.

Example of Tree Inventory Guidelines from Washington State: Technical attributes to include in a basic tree inventory. 

 

Tree Ordinances and Zoning 

Arbor Day Ordinance Assistant: This resource includes a self-assessment for communities and related recommendations and resources for developing an ordinance. 

21st Century Ordinance Builder for Tree Preservation in Land Development: Detailed overview of tree preservation ordinance components, specifically related to protections provided in zoning and development code (triggered during local permitting or review processes). Morton Arboretum also provides an ordinance builder for standard tree ordinances (in effect at all times). These resources were built for Illinois, but some aspects are generally applicable. 

Examples of Connecticut Tree Ordinances: Branford, Hamden, Hartford, Middletown, Norwalk, and Wilton. 

 

Tree Selection and Biology 

The DEEP Urban and Community Forestry program does not have a definitive tree planting list. Tree selection depends on site-specific factors, and many organizations and municipalities have their own criteria for acceptable plantings. The following are a few local resources, but consider consulting an arborist, or submit a technical assistance request for precise guidance.  

UCONN Plant Database: A simple web tool to search for species based on desired traits and site conditions. 

Urban Resources Initiative Tree Catalog: Detailed species guide with criteria of interest for street-tree selection. 

Connecticut Coastal Planting Guide: Suggestions and planting lists for situations where coastal salt intrusion is likely. 

Native Plant Nursery List: A list of nurseries that offer a native plant selection. Inclusion on this list does not signify endorsement. See also the 2026 Connecticut Native Tree, Shrub, and Perennial Availability List to locate specific species of interest. 

Soil Structure and Tree Health in Urban Areas: What Do We Need to Know?: This factsheet from the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station discusses how soil structure impacts tree health and how to compensate for soil compaction. 

 

Urban Wood Utilization 

Urban Wood Utilization Guide 2026: A detailed guidebook to support the development of urban wood utilization programs. 

 

Utilities

Electric Distribution Companies: Contact information from PURA for all utility companies 

A Guide to Protecting the Environment in ROW's: A detailed bulletin from the Connecticut Botanical Society detailing the rights of landowners in negotiations with utility companies. Views expressed are those of the Connecticut Botanical Society. 

Public Utilities Regulatory Authority: The body statutorily charged with regulating the rates and services of the two investor-owned electric utilities, as well as natural gas, water, and telecommunication companies. Has a hand in vegetation management & related appeals (e.g., Utility Tree Trimming and Vegetation Management Laws). 

Legal Requirements for Utility Vegetation Management (Flowchart): A useful flowchart indicating the requirements for vegetation management that must be followed by utilities 

Trees and Power: This page from the Connecticut Forest and Park Association contains an extensive Q&A and additional resources. 

Content last updated April 2026.