Facilitating Collaboration: The Arizona Urban Forestry Roundtable

Written by Timara Crichlow, Urban and Community Forestry Specialist

In July, the DFFM Urban and Community Forestry team attended the bi-monthly Arizona Urban Forestry Roundtable Meeting. Hosted by the Arizona Sustainability Alliance, this in-person session allowed urban forestry advocates and professionals from around the state to meet, network, and learn. 

The “Branches of Knowledge” session offered CEUs for presentations from local industry professionals on tree survivability of planting initiatives, tree management in utility corridors, and an Arizona-based Urban Forestry Toolkit. Developed by the Municipalities Committee of this Roundtable, this comprehensive toolkit covers a number of urban forestry topics from planting to irrigation, Maricopa county regulations to community engagement, and contractor management to building city codes and ordinances. Actionable steps, templates, and additional resources are provided for each topic. This resource will be published and publicly available soon - so stay tuned for its drop!

The Urban Forestry Roundtable aims to facilitate collaboration and align urban forestry efforts to equitably and sustainably improve urban forest canopy throughout Arizona. The roundtable is free, meets bimonthly online, and is always accepting new members. Visit their webpage if you are interested in learning more or becoming a member.

Arizona Sustainability Alliance has a number of other initiatives and projects supporting urban forestry in the Phoenix Metro and surrounding areas! Check out their website to learn more: https://azsustain.org/urban-forestry/

New Course: Online Forest Literacy Course

A free, two-hour, self-paced course that introduces learners to the values of trees and forests, and the importance of managing them sustainably. It is "designed for three groups of professionals: individuals considering careers in forestry and conservation, those working in forest-related fields without a background in natural resources (e.g., communications, law, finance, etc.), and educators who want to bring forest literacy into their classrooms."

New Tool: TreeCanopy.US, a National Urban Tree Canopy Assessment Tool

Thanks to an groundbreaking partnership between the U.S. Forest Service, the Arbor Day Foundation, and PlanIT Geo, the first-ever countrywide software application and nationwide data for assessing and monitoring community tree canopy has been created: TreeCanopy.US.

TreeCanopy.US contains data for all urban areas in the United States, including US territories and freely associated states. It shows the percentage of tree canopy cover and canopy cover changes over time via an interactive digital map, which can be used to engage policymakers, community members, and organizations involved in community forestry efforts.

For more information, visit the Trees at Work website. Urban and Community Forestry Society is also hosting a webinar on August 14th that will include a live demonstration of the platform's capabilities, which you can find in the "Events" section of this newsletter!

Tree canopy data plays a vital role in urban and community forestry work, but accessing it often requires significant funding and technical resources. This tool helps eliminate those barriers by giving community leaders the ability to identify areas of tree loss, prioritize tree planting efforts in areas of need, explore land cover statistics, monitor development patterns, and more — all summarized down to the census block level.

We hope you'll explore this tool and let us know what you think!

Discounted Course Offer Still Stands! Tools and Technologies for Natural Resource, Forest, and Fire Management Certificate Program

Northern Arizona University School of Forestry has graciously offered our newsletter subscribers 15% off the price of their Tools and Technologies for Natural Resource, Forest, and Fire Management Certificate Program, developed in partnership with the Center for Applied Fire and Ecosystem Sciences (CAFES) at New Mexico Consortium.

Designed for a diverse audience including fire practitioners, foresters, ecologists, archaeologists, wildlife biologists, land managers, and natural resource managers, the program aims to equip participants with the knowledge to effectively choose the best tools for their specific needs. Through a series of five courses, students will gain insight into the development of tools and technologies that are rapidly changing how we manage landscapes.

For more information about the course, please contact ContinuingEd@nau.edu directly. We hope that many of our colleagues will take advantage of this unique opportunity!

• Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) Techical Assistance Grant Program - the Department of Labor provides assistance to employers (which may include public sector entities) and labor unions in the United States and its territories to encourage employment of women in both apprenticeable occupations and nontraditional occupations through training programs - deadline August 8

• Priority US Trees Conservation Awards - funding for US-based institutions to support their tree species conservation, collection, and propagation - deadline August 15, 2025

• Growing Tribal Economies Through Forest Market Innovations - First Nations Development Institute is offering funding to support Tribal engagement in new or emerging markets that promote forest health and resilience - deadline August 13, 2025

• Two for the Trails Grants - from Athletic Brewing Co., this funding is for non-profits with shovel-ready projects having an environmentally positive impact - opens on August 15, 2025

August Webinars and Classes

• August 6: Understanding Oaks of the Southwest and their Applications to Future Landscapes - Join the Western Chapter of ISA for a presentation covering the current knowledge and ongoing research of oaks and their potential to be a resilient option in urban landscapes in other parts of the country.

• August 13: Riparian Restoration Technology - Join this RiversEdge West webinar for insights into the use of GIS, satellite imaging, and other tools that enhance monitoring, planning, and decision-making for riparian ecosystems.

• August 14: Mapping the Future of Urban Forests: Explore the National Urban Tree Canopy Assessment and Planning Tool - This Urban and Community Forestry Society webinar will include a live demonstration of the new TreeCanopy.US tool, empowering all communities to better understand and manage their urban forests.

• August 21: Leverage Data for Environmental Justice - Join the second session of American Forests' Tree Equity Coaching Network to explore how geospatial innovation and community leadership are driving a more just, data-informed future for urban greening and tree equity.

• August 21 & 22: ACTC Preparación para el examen de Arbolista Certificado - Hosted in-person in Gilbert, AZ by Arizona Community Tree Council, this class covers the most heavily weighted exam topics in the ISA Arborists' Certification Study Guide in Spanish.

• August 27: Invasive Upcycling Summit - Join Invasive Impact Initiatives and the North American Invasive Species Management Association (NAISMA) for a virtual event highlighting how creativity and environmental stewardship can intersect to solve pressing ecological challenges caused by invasive species.

Upcoming Conferences:

• August 13th: SHADE Conference - Glendale, AZ

• August 26-28: Rural STEM Summit - Fort McDowell, AZ

• September 5-6: Arizona Environmental Educators' Conference - Phoenix, AZ

• September 9 - 11: Trees & Utilities 2025 - Knoxville, TN

• September 11-12: Arizona Community Tree Council 2025 Annual Conference & Pest Management Workshop - Prescott, AZ

• November 13-15: Society for Ecological Restoration, Southwest Chapter Annual Meeting - Las Cruces, NM

Community Events:

• August 16: Tres Rios Clean-up - Join the City of Avondale for their bimonthly clean-up of the Base & Meridian Wildlife Area! - Avondale, AZ

• August 20: Tree Team Walk at Desert Botanical Garden - If you've ever been interested in volunteering with Trees Matter, take this opportunity to walk and learn from their team! - Phoenix, AZ

• August 23 & 30: Monsoon Mixers with Borderlands Restoration Network - Borderlands Restoration Network is hosting evening gatherings in Patagonia and Tucson filled with local flavors, native plants, and conversation about restoring and protecting the borderlands.

• August 30: Film Screening: Princess Mononoke - Bring your friends and family to enjoy the tree magic of this film while supporting Trees Matter - it's a win-win! - Tempe, AZ

Next month, our Forest Legacy program will be our featured highlight. Keep an eye out!