Executive Director
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Promote and improve the practice of professional municipal arboriculture.
Promote public awareness of the beautification of urban areas through proper arboricultural practices.
Recommend and uphold a Code of Ethics.
Initiate and support scientific investigation of problems concerned with municipal arboriculture.
Stimulate greater interest in the planting and presentation of shade trees and landscape plants.
Sponsor an annual meeting and trade show devoted to the presentation and exchange of information of value to arboriculture.
Leslie Berckes
Executive Director
Michelle Sutton
City Trees Editor
Scott Altenhoff
Manager
Urban and Community Forestry Assistance Program
State of Oregon
David Sivyer
Acting National Program Manager
Urban and Community Forestry
Earl Eutsler
President
Associate Director/State Forester Washington, DC
Rachel Habig-Myers
Vice-President
Urban Forester Fairfax County, VA
Sam Oludunfe
Past President
Open Space Manager/City Forester Chula Vista, CA
Darren Green
Landscape Architect
City of Alexandria, LA
Jamie King
University Arborist
Virginia Tech
David Lefcourt
City Arborist/Tree Warden
Cambridge, MA
Michael Martini
Urban Forestry Consultant
PlanIt Geo
Julianne Schieffer
Extension Educator
Regional Urban Forester Penn State University
Founded in 1964 as the Society of Municipal Arborists, the UCFS is an organization of municipal arborists and urban foresters. Our membership also includes commercial firms, nonprofits, tree boards, tree wardens, allied professionals, and citizens who actively practice or support some facet of municipal forestry.
A professional affiliate of the International Society of Arboriculture, the UCFS has members from across North America and beyond. Through our magazine, City Trees, our conferences, our website and our many active members, we strive to create networking and educational opportunities that promote the sound, professional management of a vital and invaluable resource.
UCFS committees are of vital importance to the work of the organization. Each committee helps UCFS advance its mission of building the confidence, competence, and camaraderie for all urban forestry and municipal arboriculture professionals. Members are invited to serve on committees. If you have interest in serving on any of these committees, reach out to us on the contact page.
The committee’s mission is to engage young and emerging professionals age 35 and under. UCFS has a large student membership-base and the organization has a goal to grow the next generation of urban foresters, this committee will allow UCFS to hear and learn from the leaders of tomorrow.
UCFS is actively recruiting committee members!
The goals of this committee are to advise on and monitor the trends impacting the urban forestry and municipal arboriculture profession. It serves as a sounding board for the UCFS staff to help provide guidance when asked about membership’s stance on certain issues. The committee can provide guidance on any number of things such as BMPs, standards, strategic partnerships, etc. Effort is taken to recruit people from various populations, regions, etc. so that broad member representation is maintained.
UCFS is actively recruiting committee members!
The primary mission of the Professional Development committee is to ensure individual UCFS members have the support they need plus pushing the individual to grow to new heights. This group brings together existing committees and programs of Arborist Exchange, Mentoring, MFI, the UCFS Learning Series. The committee supports and pushes for more people to achieve the ISA Municipal Specialist certification and overall support professional certification.
UCFS is actively recruiting committee members!
Develop initiatives and strategies to increase and enhance membership.
Julianne Schieffer – Chair/Board Liaison
Dorothy Abeyta
Misty Booth
Danielle Gift
Rachel Habig-Myers
David Sivyer
Advance the Accreditation Program, develop marketing plan, and increase visibility of the program and its principles.
Scott Altenhoff, Chair/Board Liaison
Compile library of industry standards, solicit member feedback, promote and evaluate
ANSI Z133 Rep – Jamie King Chair/Board Liaison
ANSI A300 Rep – Sam Olundunfe
Steward annual conference, develop and deliver educational content at the annual conference, support sponsors and exhibitors.
Steve Harris – Chair
Jamie King – Board Liaison
Dorothy Abeyta
Kieran Hunt
Josh Petter
Cindi Sullivan
Promote Arborist Exchange program, solicit sponsors, coordinate fundraising events.
Kieran Hunt – Chair
Michael Martini – Board Liaison
Terry Flanagan
Doug Still
Develop and support State/Provincial liaisons whose role in turn is to represent UCFS on State Urban and Community Forestry Councils and to support peer-to-peer connection and learning opportunities at the state/provincial level.
Dorothy Abeyta – Co-Chair
David Sivyer – Co-Chair
Identify and recommend potential board members, coordinate election procedures.
Rachel Habig Myers – Chair/Board Liaison
Jeremy Barrick
Erica Smith
Provide editorial oversight of City Trees, proof City Trees, support advertisers
Allison Craig – Chair
Michelle Sutton – Editor
Adrina Bardekjian
Rachel Barker
Felipe Alberto Fuentes Ramirez
Sitara Gare
Jamie Kirby
Brett O’Brien
Nadia Pupa
Tami Sadonoja
Jeff Shimonski
David Sivyer
The Urban and Community Forestry Society is a 501(c)6 membership-based organization. The organization serves all professionals who manage trees in communities across the world. The following information is provided as an overview of the organization, its membership base, and more.
The UCFS bylaws outline how the organization operates including membership, meetings, the board of directors, officers, committees of the board, the role of the executive director, ethics, and more. Click the link below to download the UCFS bylaws. The UCFS bylaws were amended, voted on by membership, and effective as of January 1, 2023.
The Urban and Community Forestry Society and its members adhere to a Code of Ethics so that we might all promote the highest levels of professionalism within the organization and for the trees and people we serve. Click on the link below to read the UFCS Code of Ethics.
In early 2023, the UCFS Board of Directors and organizational staff developed a strategic plan intended to guide the organization over the next several years. Each goal and its subsequent operational steps are in service of UCFS members and, ultimately, designed to help elevate the work we do each day to grow and sustain more trees for livable communities.