Urban Forestry Roadmap

Trees provide real, measurable benefits to your residents and your neighborhoods. Dozens, even hundreds of communities have developed plans to grow their urban forests and harvest this suite of benefits. We’ve charted their experience to create this comprehensive collection of tools, resources, and best practices.

Like them, you’ll need to find the pathway which best suits your community — the one that addresses your own goals, excites your leadership, engages your residents, and helps enlist your peers. This roadmap provides a place to begin and steps you can take to move toward your destination: a vibrant urban forest that will enrich your city for generations.

September 14, 2024

Build an Inclusive Coalition

September 13, 2024

Set Priorities

September 12, 2024

Engage

September 11, 2024

Plan the Future of Your Forest

September 10, 2024

Funding Tree Equity Programs

September 9, 2024

Strategies to Achieve Tree Equity

September 8, 2024

Planting: Putting the Right Tree in the Right Place

September 7, 2024

Monitoring and Maintenance

September 6, 2024

Resilience and Forest Health

Vibrant Cities Lab has a new look, new resources and new ways to get involved in greening your city. We’re introducing several new digital resources including a Cool Corridors Guide, Urban Forestry Roadmap and Forest Health information that will help urban foresters and related professionals build thriving programs for their communities. 

On December 31, 2025, old.vibrantcitieslab.com (note the new URL) will close. Make sure you download any resources or action guides you don’t want to miss.

Get involved with us by sending your feedback on the new website or sharing your best urban forestry success stories with us at info@vibrantcitieslab.org.