Urban Forest Management
Although trees are vital to communities, they create long-term financial and legal obligations on the community as a whole. They require care and management, as well as long-term planning. In return, community trees provide significant benefits.
Each community has different needs, capacities, and resources, so no two will have the same approach when it comes to management of their urban forest. This page is intended to introduce general concepts and pathways for interested communities to increase management of their shared trees.
Increasing capacity
Municipalities can increase their capacity for public tree management by starting a tree commission. Tree commissions in Connecticut support and advise tree wardens through outreach and education, gathering information about local needs, informing planning initiatives, conducting plantings, coordinating maintenance of young trees, advocating for best practices, and managing grant applications.
For example, in Hamden, the tree commission meets monthly to discuss tree planting efforts, communication strategy, and data needs for more effective management of their community’s trees. In 2026, the Commission was successful in supporting the town in applying for a grant through the Urban and Community Forestry Program to plant trees and conduct community outreach in low-canopy neighborhoods.
The high value of an active tree commission is recognized through its inclusion in the scoring criteria for Sustainable CT Action 3.9.
Planning to meet goals
Setting clear and achievable goals is an important part of urban forest management. Strong goals require baseline information and the ability to track progress. They typically require planning to accomplish. Large communities that have built infrastructure to support their urban forestry programs may have well-developed urban forestry plans spanning decades, with many sub-goals and procedures for tracking success.
For example, Hartford’s 2020 Urban Tree Canopy Action Plan identifies a key goal of increasing citywide canopy to 35% and outlines 15 necessary sub-actions, including budgetary increases and staffing improvements, increased plantings and maintenance, revised and improved documentation, public outreach, and regular updates to the city’s canopy assessment.
Many urban forestry programs use advanced tools, such as tree inventories and canopy assessments, to inform their goals, operations, and decision-making. These tools can be extremely valuable, and some types of data are freely available online. See our Urban and Community Forestry Resource Library for more information on urban forestry planning, data tools, and examples of setting and tracking success.
Submit a request for technical assistance if your group would like specific feedback on developing or tracking progress towards goals.
Tree ordinances and zoning
Tree ordinances are local laws adopted by some municipalities to protect, manage, and guide the care of trees within their communities. These laws establish standards for activities like tree removal, planting, and maintenance for public (and sometimes private) trees. Local zoning codes and regulations also impact the number and distribution of trees across an area, such as by setting spacing requirements for street trees, requiring shade trees in parking lots, or requiring plantings in new developments. By setting clear expectations, well-written and enforced tree ordinances can support public safety, reduce the impacts of development on mature trees, and even generate funding for urban forestry activities.
For example, Norwalk’s 2025 Tree Master Plan identifies a key goal of increasing city-wide canopy to 53%. It identifies the network of stakeholders in the city who care for trees, the existing network of regulations and protections that apply to the urban canopy, the challenges the urban canopy faces, and the urban forest priorities identified by municipal staff and community members. That information was analyzed to develop a long-term strategy and implementable action items to enhance and expand the urban forest in Norwalk, which includes several items related to updating zoning regulations, the tree ordinance, and other policies.
Municipalities or other groups interested in reviewing or revising their policies can review our Urban and Community Forestry Resource Library for examples of tree ordinances and ordinance-building tools, or can submit a request for Technical Assistance for feedback from the Urban and Community Forestry team.
Recognition of urban forest accomplishments
Many communities across Connecticut have undertaken vital efforts to ensure their urban forests benefit residents for years to come. For these communities, there are two accreditation programs to recognize their work and to provide structure and guidance as they continue to plan, manage, and invest in their urban forests.
Sustainable CT
Sustainable CT is a voluntary certification program that recognizes resilient Connecticut municipalities that earn points by accomplishing a wide menu of best practices. Municipalities select and implement the actions that suit their goals and earn points toward certification. One category within this menu is Action 3.9: Managing Woodlands and Urban Forests. In this category, municipalities can earn points by investing in and managing their urban and community forests. DEEP’s Urban and Community Forestry program collaborates with Sustainable CT to develop Action 3.9 and reviews applications submitted for the action.
More than 60 municipalities are currently enrolled in Sustainable CT, and 23 are earning points through Action 3.9. Sustainable CT provides a community match fund and other comprehensive technical assistance. To discuss your municipality’s interest in Action 3.9, please complete a technical assistance form. More information is available on the Sustainable CT website.
Tree City USA
Tree City USA is a national recognition program run by the Arbor Day Foundation designed to promote awareness of the value of community trees, set basic standards for tree care, and recognize improvement in a community’s commitment to trees. Across the country, more than 3,500 communities are recognized as tree cities. In 2025, Connecticut recognized 23 tree cities and 3 tree campuses.
In order to be eligible for Tree City recognition, a municipality must meet four standards:
Standard 1 - A Tree Board or a Department
Someone must be legally responsible for the care of all trees on city or town-owned properties. By delegating tree care decisions to a professional forester, arborist, city department, citizen-led tree board, or some combination, city leaders determine who will perform necessary tree work. In Connecticut, municipalities that comply with state law and have a qualified tree warden satisfy this requirement.
Standard 2 - A Tree Care Ordinance
A tree care ordinance forms the foundation of a city's tree care program. In Connecticut, municipalities that comply with state law and that have a qualified tree warden satisfy this requirement. You can review ordinance-building resources and examples of Connecticut tree ordinances in our Urban and Community Forestry Resource Library.
Standard 3 - A Community Tree Care Program with an Annual Budget of at Least $2 Per Capita
By providing support at or above the $2 per capita minimum, a community demonstrates its commitment to grow and tend this valuable public asset.
Standard 4 – An Arbor Day Observance and Proclamation
An effective community tree program would not be complete without an annual Arbor Day ceremony.
Tree City USA applications are due annually on January 16 and a report on the activities of the previous calendar year. The application and many helpful documents are available at the Arbor Day Foundation website.
Content last updated March 2026.