Resources

Below are tools and resources to help you take root in your community — whether by planting a tree, volunteering for an organization (or running your own!), or simply digging deeper into the data behind how trees make our communities better.

Much of this comes from our Network members, as well as other sites we love. We try to narrow to the best of the best, to save you the time of searching. Are you a community group and see something missing or have an idea of something relevant to add? Please contact us!

Tip for browsing: Many of the links below will direct you to another website. If you want to save your spot on our page while opening a link, try right-clicking the link and selecting “open link in new window.” Use these buttons to jump to the content you’re looking for:

Trees
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Our Latest Resources:

Tree Care Starts Early

Dec 9, 2009

Arboriculture starts in the nursery. The importance of young tree structure both above and below ground has lead to the development of two publications by the Urban Tree...

Decision Maker Education Campaign

Dec 1, 2009

In an effort to educate decision makers, California ReLeaf has teamed up with others around the state to create an education campaign that focuses on the many benefits of...

All Things Trees

Selection & Planning

  • Tree Planting Event Toolkit – getting ready to host a tree planting event takes some planning – the toolkit will help you get ready for your event.
  • Trees for the 21st Century is a guide produced by California ReLeaf that discusses eight steps to a thriving tree canopy, including the importance of tree selection.
  • Tree Planting Event / Project Consideration Questions – Tree San Diego put together a helpful list of questions and considerations to ask yourself during the planning stages of your project or tree planting event, from Project Location, Species Selection, Watering, Maintenace, Monitoring & Mapping, and more.
  • SelecTree – This program designed by the Urban Forestry Ecosystems Institute at Cal Poly is a tree selection database for California.
  • Green Schoolyard America developed California Tree Palette for Schoolyard Forests to help school districts and school communities select trees appropriate for a schoolyard setting as well as climate change considerations. The Tree Palate includes helping you find your sunset zone (climate zone) and recommended palette by sunset zone.
  • Tree Quality Cue Card – When you’re at the nursery, this cue card helps you choose the best quality tree stock to plant. Available in English or Spanish.
  • The Sunset Western Garden Book can tell you more about your area’s hardiness zone and appropriate plants for your climate.
  • WUCOLS provides an assessment of irrigation water needs for over 3,500 species.
  • Climate Ready Trees – The US Forest Service has partnered with UC Davis to identify trees that perform well under stressors associated with climate change in California’s Central Valley, Inland Empire and Southern California Coast climate zones. This research website showcases promising tree species that have been evaluated in targeting climate zones.
  • Urban Horticulture Institute at Cornell University has a helpful source for assessing tree planting sites. See their Site Assessment Guide and Checklist which might be helpful in selecting the right tree for your planting site.
  • Looking to Host a Tree Give-Away Program? Check out UCANR / UCCE Master Gardener of San Bernardino Program: Trees for Tomorrow Toolkit to get ideas on how you can shape a successful tree giveaway. (Toolkit: English / Spanish) You can also watch a short video about the Trees for Tomorrow program.
  • Fruit Tree Selection Considerations (UC Master Gardener The California Backyard Orchard)
  • Budgeting for Tree Care Success – a California ReLeaf Webinar designed to help you budget for the success of their upcoming grant proposal or your new or existing tree-planting program.

Planting

Care & Health

Drought Guidance

Winter Storm Guidance

Pest and Disease Guidance

Calculators & Other Tree Data / Mapping Tools

  • i-Tree – A software suite from the USDA Forest Service that provides urban forestry analysis and benefits assessment tools.
  • National Tree Benefit Calculator – Make a simple estimation of the benefits that an individual street tree provides.
  • Tree Carbon Calculator – The only tool approved by the Climate Action Reserve’s Urban Forest Project Protocol for quantifying carbon dioxide sequestration from tree planting projects.
  • Read more about the above tools here.
  • NatureScore – Developed by NatureQuant this tool measures the amount and quality of natural elements of any address. NatureQuant analyzes and blends various data sets and processed information within a given radius, including satellite infrared measurements, GIS and land classifications, park data and features, tree canopies, air, noise and light pollutions, and computer vision elements (aerial and street images).
  • Tree Equity Score –Developed by American Forests, Tree Equity Score measures how well the critical benefits of urban tree canopy are reaching those who need them most. The score establishes an equity-first standard to guide investment in communities living on low incomes, communities of color and all those disproportionately affected by extreme heat, pollution and other environmental hazards.
  • National Urban Tree Canopy Assessment Tool – Developed in partnership with PlanIT Geo, Arbor Day Foundation and the USDA Forest Service, this mapping tool shows the percentage of tree canopy cover and canopy cover changes over time in an interactive digital map to engage policymakers, community members, and organizations involved in community greening.
  • California Schoolyards Tree Equity Study Map – Developed by Green Schoolyards America this tool quantifies the extent of tree distribution across California public school campuses.
  • Community Assessment & Goal Setting Tool – Vibrant Cities Lab
  • Healthy Trees, Healthy Cities Mobile App –  The Nature Conservancy’s Healthy Trees, Healthy Cities (HTHC) Tree Health initiative seeks to protect the health of our nation’s trees, forests, and communities by creating a culture of stewardship that engages people in long-term stewardship and monitoring of the trees in their respective communities. Learn more about the app, which assists with urban tree monitoring and care.
  • SelecTree – Cal Poly’s Urban Forest Ecosystem Institue’s Tree Selection Guide
  • Urban Tree Inventory – Cal Poly’s Urban Forest Ecosystem Institute’s compiled data tool which shows street tree inventory from California’s largest tree companies.
  • Urban Tree Detector – Cal Poly’s Urban Forest Ecosystem Institute’s map of trees in urban reserve of California. The map is based on NAIP imager from 2020.
  • Database & Tree Tracking (presentation recording) – Three Network members share about how their organizations map and track trees at the 2019 Network Retreat.
  • Urban Ecos is a consulting company who can assist grant applicants to plan GHG reduction projects and quantify the benefits of trees.

Advocating for Trees in Your Community

Research

UCF Municipal Planning Resources

Great Sites to Know

Nonprofit Resources

Fundraising Tips & Tricks

Boards of Directors

Communications

Great Sites to Know

Volunteers

Partnerships

Grant Management

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Leading with diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) as our guide is critical in nonprofit programming. The resources below can deepen your understanding of DEI, racial and environmental justice, and how to incorporate it into your urban forestry work.

Websites to Know

Green Gentrification

Research shows that the threat of green gentrification is real in many cities, and it can lead to the displacement of longtime residents that many greening equity efforts are designed to serve.

Presentations & Webinars

Articles

Videos

Podcasts