Urban Forestry

Welcome

to Fayetteville, Arkansas, a 21 year Tree City USA community.

Fayetteville's urban forest provides fundamental benefits to the community's livability and vitality, including cleaner air and water, pedestrian friendly walkways, lower utility consumption, enhanced property values, and viable wildlife habitat. These elements are essential to the prosperity, health, and comfort of any city.
Sky view of Downtown Fayetteville

GENERAL INFORMATION


Urban Forests


Urban forests are made up of public and private forests, prairies, wetlands and other ecological communities that provide environmental services to the urban and/or suburban community of Fayetteville. Urban Forestry is the management of trees and other vegetation on public and private land.

Community trees make up the urban forest and can be found along streets, in parks, and on public and private property. Landscaping required of new developments also is a community asset and can be found in the same places. It is the combination of these trees and landscapes which create the urban forest. As a community, we receive multiple benefits from trees and plantings within the urban forest.

Benefits of Trees


Not only do trees add to the aesthetics of our City, shade our trails, and give good homes to wildlife; trees also provide economical, environmental, and behavioral benefits. Using trees as wind blocks or as shade producers can decrease utility bills.

Trees also remove huge quantities of pollutants from the air and aid in erosion control and decrease stormwater peak flow runoff. It has been proven that given a green shady area to relax or play in, a person will stay calmer and remain longer.

Trees planted where they can be observed from residential dwellings, hospitals rooms or school classrooms can reduce crime rates, quicken patient recovery rates and increase child productivity.

Management


Fayetteville's Urban Forestry Program is managed by three separate entities within the City:
  • Street tree maintenance is performed by the Transportation Department right-of-way work crews.
  • Park and trail tree maintenance is carried out by the Parks and Recreation Department Urban Forestry Services crew.
  • Tree preservation and protection for new development is performed by the Urban Forester.
As representatives of the people of Fayetteville, the City’s management practices focus on providing an urban forest that is safe, healthy, diverse, and able to provide the greatest benefit to the people, wildlife and environment of the City.