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UCFS Accreditation

Showcase urban forestry excellence!

UCFS has been hard at work revising and updating its Accreditation program in order to push urban and community forestry programs to new heights!

UCFS Accreditation sets a high bar and offers the highest recognition for notable accomplishments in urban forestry. Are you ready to demonstrate excellence in your urban forestry program!

UCFS will soon open applications for its improved Accreditation program!

UCFS is currently working with previously Accredited communities and will soon hope the Accreditation process to all communities. Interested in being among the first to be Accredited? Fill out the interest form below. 

I'm interested in UCFS Accreditation

Benefits of UCFS Accreditation

Your urban and community forestry program stands out as the best of the best. Now you can prove it through UCFS Accreditation.

The UCFS Accreditation program officially acknowledges municipalities that are dedicated to the growth, maintenance, and expansion of their urban and community forests. Accreditation provides an evaluation against industry standards and can be a catalyst for urban forestry stewardship, development of resources, and civic pride.

  • Achieving accreditation signifies an urban forest management program’s commitment to its local community and the environment.
  • Accredited programs are recognized for their efforts to continuously improve operations and outreach, ensuring professional excellence in managing and caring for community trees.
  • Accreditation serves as a valuable asset for administrators and elected officials, offering public relations opportunities to promote community achievements.
  • Accreditation celebrates the dedication of staff and team members who manage and care for urban trees, fostering a sense of pride in their vital role.
  • Displaying UCFS Accreditation and utilizing promotional materials is a powerful way to highlight the high standards of your program, showcasing recognition by professional peers and industry leaders.

Does your urban forestry program stand above?

Each day, you and your team make the decisions that lead to a healthy, flourishing tree canopy. Your work means we have trees where we need them the most. Now, you can show the world that the work you do stands above. By achieving UCFS Accreditation at the Steward or Champion level, you’ll be able to prove you meet tough urban forestry standards and have backing when competing priorities inevitably pop-up. 

UCFS is currently working with previously Accredited communities to move them into the new standards. Soon, all communities will be able to apply. In the meantime, you can see where your city stands by reviewing the UCFS Accreditation Standards below and reviewing the Accreditation Manual to better understand the full process.

UCFS Accreditation Standards
UCFS Accreditation Manual

Accreditation Fees

The cost of UCFS Accreditation is outlined below.

Total Accreditation Fee: $6,000.00

  • $3,000 (50%) is due and payable upon submittal of Community Self-Assessment
  • $3,000 (50%) balance due and payable upon UCFS notice of intent to award accreditation. (Accreditation is conferred upon receipt of payment. Balance due must be fully paid within 12 months of notice of intent to award).

Applicant communities may elect to pay the Total Accreditation fee upon submittal of the Community Self-Assessment. While no refunds will be provided if a community that pays the total accreditation fee is denied accreditation, the community will have up to two-years from the notice of denial to append their application, as needed, to fully meet all accreditation requirements, without additional surcharge. Communities that satisfy all accreditation requirements during the two-year post denial period will be awarded accreditation for a three-year period.

Pre-Qualifications

The following qualifications are under review, however UCFS continues to see these parameters as key to a high-functioning urban forestry program. 

To pre-qualify for UCFS Accreditation, your urban forestry program must:

  • Have an urban and community forestry program that:
    • Outlines the responsibility for oversight of urban and community forestry activities
    • Directs the use of best management practices for the establishment, conservation, protection, and maintenance of public urban and community trees and forests
  • Have a tree inventory – full or partial inventory or a system of knowledge of the trees in your tree management area
  • Adhere to ANSI Z133.1 safety standards, and ANSI A300 tree care performance standards (or equivalents outside the U.S.)
    • These safety standards are included in contracts and required by contractors

Accreditation Process

The final touches are being put on the Accreditation program, but community forestry programs can expect the following process:

  • Apply
    • Communities interested in applying for accreditation will first complete an application and pay a small application fee.
    • The application contains a series of questions to determine if the community meets minimum requirements as well as a series of questions to understand the urban forestry program that is applying.
  • Self-Evaluation and Documentation of Proof
    • Through an online process, applicants will self-score themselves on the four standards outlined above. 
    • Documentation proving your adherence to the various standard criteria will be required. 
  • Virtual Site Visit
    • The virtual review is an essential element of the accreditation program. It provides information to the Accreditation Council on how the organization complies with the accreditation standards of the UCFS Accreditation Program.
    • During this meeting, the community seeking to obtain UCFS Accreditation will answer Accreditation Council questions and provide nuances of their urban forestry program that may have been difficult to explain in the self-assessment.
      • The results of the interview may change the initial tier designation.
  • Evaluation by Accreditation Council
    • A jury of peers will review all submitted information and document questions or issues with the submission. The Accreditation Council will make a decision on what tier level the community has achieved. 
    • Learn more about the UCFS Accreditation Council here
  • Award and Achievement
    • After the above steps are completed, the applicant will be notified of the results. If it is determined that the applicant did not meet standards, reasons for the non-award will be provided. If the committee awards UCFS Accreditation, UCFS staff will work with the applicant to provide recognition materials. 
    • Accreditation status will be for a term of five years.
  • Maintenance and Recertification
    • Maintaining accreditation is contingent on satisfactory submission and acceptance of Annual Reports. The Annual Report includes requests for information and documentation related to organizational changes and standards compliance. 
    • All applicants will be required to recertify, and full details on this process are being finalized. 
Tell me when Accreditation opens for application

Interested in serving on the Accreditation Council?

Click here to find out more

2026 UCFS Pre-Conference Tour

St. Louis Through the Trees

Monday, November 16 from 1:00-4:00pm

To join us, add the tour with your registration!

Before conference sessions begin, join fellow urban and community forestry professionals for a guided tour of St. Louis that explores the city’s urban forest through the lens of history, resilience, equity, and community investment. From iconic parks to neighborhoods experiencing both environmental challenges and revitalization, you’ll discover how planning decisions, natural disaster recovery, and community partnerships are shaping a healthier, more equitable future.

Our journey begins at Brickline Greenway near Energizer Park, where an ambitious green infrastructure vision is reconnecting neighborhoods and expanding access to greenspace. From there, we’ll travel through the iconic Forest Park to explore the legacy of one of America’s great urban parks and the stewardship practices that continue to make it a model for urban forestry and public space.

As we travel through St. Louis neighborhoods, we’ll view the city’s history through its trees. We will see firsthand how communities are restoring and reimagining their urban forests through community-driven initiatives that are reversing damage from recent devastating tornado and the legacy of historic redlining and its influence on tree canopy distribution.

Along the way, we’ll stop at O’Fallon Park to explore ongoing restoration and neighborhood revitalization efforts before concluding at Kiener Plaza Park, where thoughtful landscape design and thriving urban greenspace showcase the power of trees to create welcoming, resilient downtown environments.

Don’t miss the opportunity to see examples of these critical urban forestry practices:

  • Public/private fundraising efforts
  • Public/private maintenance and operations contracts
  • Place-based community engagement
  • Tornado response and recovery
  • Navigating federal transportation grants
  • Managing native prairie landscaping and urban woodlands
  • Contract tree growing
  • Silva cell installation
  • CU-structural soil use


More than a sightseeing tour, this is an opportunity to gain fresh perspectives, exchange ideas, and connect with colleagues who share a passion for building stronger urban forests. Come see St. Louis through a new lens and leave inspired with innovative ideas and practical insights.

Special Guests:

We’ll be joined on the tour by guest speakers from the City of St. Louis Forestry, Great Rivers Greenway, and Forest ReLeaf who will share insider perspectives on organizational collaboration.