URBAN AND COMMUNITY
FORESTRY SOCIETY
So, why this name? Recent studies from experts
in our field point to the growth of urban forestry
as a profession. Our own
member survey had
nearly 60% of respondents who use the term
"urban forester" or "city forester" to describe
themselves, with 21% using the term "municipal
arborist." Yes, a strong understanding of arbo-
riculture science is embedded in our work, and
we know that tree biology, ecology, and social
science help us all do our jobs better. We hope
it goes without saying that municipal arbor-
ists belong to this society and are a critical
part of the profession. With that, "urban for-
estry" is the term that more and more cities are
using when hiring or creating departments. A
couple of our members summed it up nicely:
"Municipal is too narrow because I provide
consultation to homeowners, home-
owner associations, corporate campuses,
and anyone in my entire jurisdiction."
"Urban forestry is a broader term than 'munic-
ipal arboriculture.' I don't just manage
landscape trees—I manage native forest
remnants and engage in invasive species
removal and ecosystem restoration."
Further discussions about a new name saw
the word community as a critical element.
For example, members in the large city of
Philadelphia use the term "community forester"
for workers who are practicing urban forestry
at a neighborhood scale. Members in more
rural towns, where the population may be a
couple thousand and the term "urban" simply
does not work demographically, rely heavily on
residents to make community-based decisions
about trees. (Correspondingly, some commu-
nities choose to create a Community Forest
Management Plan rather than an Urban Forest
Management Plan.) The goal of our profession
is to have healthy trees where people live, no
matter the size. Adopting the name Urban and
Community Forestry Society signals to current
and future members that they belong here.
Tree planting celebration at MFI 2020 in Gulf
Shores, Alabama. Photo by Owen Croy
MFI Peer Learning Group in 2022.
UCFS stands ready to help you
in your work through networking,
knowledge sharing, and learning.
12 CityTREES
