Urban & Community Forestry Economic Contribution to California

About the Research Study

California ReLeaf partnered with a national team of researchers from North Carolina State University, Cal Poly, and Virginia Tech to conduct a research study on the economic contributions of Urban and Community Forestry (U&CF) to California in 2021. This study was funded through a grant from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE)’s Urban and Community Forestry Program. This work was also made possible by the support and encouragement of stakeholders related to urban and community forestry in California.

The research study results highlight the substantial economic impact of the U&CF sector in California. In 2021, U&CF directly contributed roughly $7.0 billion to the state industry output and $4.1 billion in value-added (sum of labor income, other property income, and production and import taxes) by supporting 52,054 full- and part-time jobs. Including direct, indirect, and induced effects, the U&CF sector had a total contribution of $12.9 billion in industry output to the state economy in California, employing more than 78,560 people with a payroll of roughly $5.1 billion. You can learn more about the study by reading the statewide report or watching our educational webinar, which provides an overview.