Each year, a panel of experts reviews and selects an UCFS Tree of the Year. The tree must meet qualifications such as suitability for the urban environment, noteworthy ornamental attributes, and in many cases, be considered underutilized. Check out the Tree of the Year!
The Urban & Community Forestry Society has named the blue jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia) its 2023 Urban Tree of the Year. Spin the globe, and at the right time of year, you’ll find blue jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia) lighting up streets and parks with its blue-purple flower panicles in every subtropical or warm climate, including regions within Australia, Myanmar, India, South Africa, Spain, Chile, and the United States. Even climates with an occasional light frost may support blue jacaranda trees.
Though its distribution as a cultivated tree is vast, blue jacaranda’s native range is limited to southern Bolivia and northwestern Argentina. As is often the case for trees occurring in such a narrow range, the native blue jacaranda population in these South American pockets is considered vulnerable.
It should be noted that in some of the same places where jacaranda is celebrated (parts of Queensland, Australia and in Pretoria, South Africa, for instance), there have been concerns about jacaranda’s invasiveness and displacement of native plants in those regions. In such places, municipalities have had to strike a balance between these concerns and the powerful public affinity for the showy tree.
To promote the education of people who practice municipal arboriculture and manage the urban and community forests.
To promote public understanding of the value of urban 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:
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.
