The future of our urban forests depends on the people who steward them.
That’s why we founded the Urban Forest Foundation.
The future of our urban forests depends on the people who care for them today.
The Urban Forest Foundation exists to elevate the urban forestry profession by supporting high-quality training, advancing technical knowledge, and expanding access to meaningful professional development.
Through UFF, we proudly fund scholarships for UCFS programs like the Municipal Forestry Institute (MFI) and the Municipal Arborist Exchange Program, while also investing in new initiatives that prepare urban forestry professionals for the challenges ahead.
To strengthen and expand the impact of the Urban Forest Foundation (UFF), the Urban and Community Forestry Society (UCFS) is partnering with TREE Fund to help guide strategic investment and long-term growth of UFF. Together, we’re building a stronger, more resilient foundation for urban forestry education and leadership.
Our top goal is to fully endow the Urban Forest Foundation. An endowed fund means that it lives long into the future, providing opportunities for urban foresters for many years to come.
Join us in our mission as together we invest in:
Join us in supporting the people who plant, protect, and steward the trees in our communities. With your generosity, we can grow a brighter, healthier future—together.
Find out more by clicking the button below. The link will take you to our partners at the TREE Fund who we are working with to manage the UFF.
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.
