Treesilience: Cultivating Safe Trees, Equitable Canopies, and Resilient Communities

A UCFS Learning Series Webinar. Thank you to Bartlett Tree Experts for their support of the entire Learning Series!

Dead or dying trees don’t just create safety hazards—they also threaten public trust in the value of urban trees and the long-term health of our city canopies. When a tree looms as a danger to a home or power line, it’s hard to see it as an asset. And for many residents—especially in historically marginalized communities—the cost of pruning or removing hazardous trees is out of reach, leaving property owners, neighborhoods, and city departments stuck between risk and limited resources.

That’s where Treesilience comes in.

Launched in 2020 by The Nature Conservancy and the USDA Forest Service, Treesilience is a growing national initiative helping communities remove hazardous trees, maintain mature canopy, and plant for the future—with a strong focus on equity. The program prioritizes historically underserved neighborhoods, where tree canopy is most threatened and where residents stand to gain the most from healthier urban forests.

For community and urban foresters, this webinar offers an opportunity to connect with a replicable model that:

• supports private property owners with the cost of tree care,
• reduces risks before they become emergencies,
• strengthens public trust in urban forestry programs, and
• builds local capacity through community partnerships and workforce development

Today, Treesilience programs are active in eight U.S. cities, each shaped by local needs and partnerships. In this Learning Series webinar, you’ll hear directly how they are scaling impact and building long-term canopy resilience through creative, community-driven approaches:

• Chicago, IL – Urban forestry workforce development
• Kansas City, MO – City/state/nonprofit collaborative emerald ash borer response
• Baton Rouge, LA – Partnerships restoring trees in parks and public spaces
• St. Louis, MO – Empowering tree advocates and creating a private property tree care toolkit

This webinar will share actionable ideas, proven strategies, and inspiration for everyone working in urban forestry. Join us to learn how Treesilience programs are transforming urgent tree care needs into opportunities for equity, safety, and long-term resilience in communities across the country.

Learning Objectives

At the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

1. Identify strategies to support private property tree care and complement municipal efforts with cost-sharing, community engagement, and workforce development.
2. Empower community members to lead urban forestry initiatives, identifying dead or high-risk trees and opportunities for planting new trees.
3. Implement collaborative, equity-focused plans to address hazardous trees and protect tree canopy on private property.

ISA CEUs are applied for and pending.

Register today!