Caring for Tacoma's urban forest is an important part of growing a sustainable, healthy, and vibrant city and cannot be achieved without the input of community members.

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In 2010, City Council adopted a new chapter in Tacoma’s Comprehensive Plan, the Urban Forestry Policy Element. From this, the Environmental Services Department along with a team of consultants worked with the community to develop an Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP) to create a shared vision and road map for the trees in Tacoma that supports the policy element and enhances the city.
 

Passed by City Council in Dec. 2019, the UFMP strengthens themes throughout the city such as Resource Management, Equity and Accessibility, Canopy Health & Growth, Long-Term Funding, Climate Resiliency, Enhanced Ecosystem Services & Benefits, and Community Engagement & Stewardship.  The plan works in tandem with the 2015 One Tacoma Comprehensive Plan and the forthcoming update to the Climate Action Plan (formerly the Environmental Action Plan). 

 

Current Status:

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The COVID-19 Pandemic and ensuing economic challenges of 2020 impacted the implementation of the UFMP in a number of significant ways.  Actions which had substantial financial components were delayed due to budget restrictions, shifting priority to policy updates, process improvement, and program design for exciting changes in the coming year.

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For 2021, Phase 3 of the project is underway with a Trees & Construction Operations Plan, Tree Risk Reduction Plan, updates to Title 9 “Public Ways” of the Tacoma Municipal Code, and creation of new Urban Forestry programs focused on Hazardous Tree Assistance and tree protection.