Urban Forestry

An urban forest consists of all the trees in an urban setting, whether planted along a street, in a park, or in a backyard.

Trees are often planted in urban environments to provide beauty and soften the harsh surfaces and angles of the city. But trees provide so much more than aesthetics. Trees affect the environment by providing shade, softening the wind, and cleaning the air. We use trees to screen poor views, provide privacy, and reduce noise. Trees also provide habitat for wildlife. And trees increase property values.

Key to a thriving urban forest are proper tree selection and maintenance.

Tree Selection: Start by considering the site where the tree will be planted. Taking the time to carefully consider the constraints of the planting location and the type of tree that is appropriate for the space will result in a healthy tree that provides many benefits with minimal maintenance. The wrong tree planted in the wrong location can cause damage to sidewalks, become tangled in power lines, and crack sewer pipes. The result will be removal of the tree or substantial maintenance to constrain the growth of the tree that will destroy its natural shape, beauty and health.

Information at the following links will assist you in proper tree selection and planting:

• The Right Tree in the Right Place - A guide from the National Arbor Day Foundation.
• Street Tree Selection - A list of recommended street trees from The Green Zone.
• Proper Planting - Planting tips from the International Society of Arboriculture and the City of Spokane planting specifications.
• Mulching and Staking - How-to guide from certified arborists on the TLC for Trees website. Also learn about when to remove stakes.

A good urban forestry resource is Community Canopy, a tree care partnership program of the cities of Post Falls, Hayden, Coeur d'Alene, and the Spokane County Conservation District, in cooperation with the University of Idaho Extension and the Washington State University Extension.

The goal of Community Canopy is to have healthy and sustainable community forests to provide the maximum environmental and visual benefits. They offer workshops, training and exhibits, with an emphasis on planting trees correctly, providing adequate water, and protecting trees from damage. View their latest newsletter here.

Tree Maintenance: Providing regular care for your trees is insurance against future problems. It is much easier and less costly to prevent problems and keep a tree healthy than it is to cure a problem once it develops. Regular maintenance includes watering, fertilizing, pruning, and monitoring for insects and diseases. The Master Gardeners and arborists are excellent resources to help maintain your trees. When maintaining trees, please do NOT top or tip, as these are harmful practices that ultimately fail to produce the desired result.

Consult the following links for information on proper tree maintenance:

• Proper Pruning - Detailed information from the U.S. Forest Service.
• Watering - Learn how, when, where, how much and how often to water from the Warnell School of Forest Resources.
• Fertilizing - Fact sheet on when, how and how much to fertilize trees.
• Pest Management - WSU Extension Hortsense web site provides access to fact sheets for managing plant problems with Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Cultural controls and Washington-registered pesticides are included.
• Free Your Trees - Learn about the potential harm from staking of trees and the appropriate time to remove stakes.