Urban Trees

Main page content begins here

The City is committed to growing, sustaining, maintaining, preserving and protecting our urban forest.

Edmonton’s Urban Forest

As Edmontonians, we value and understand the importance of the city’s urban forest. Edmonton’s trees provide many environmental, ecological, economic, and social benefits. These include sequestering greenhouse gases, reducing damage from stormwater, providing wildlife habitat, reducing costs for winter heating and summer cooling, and promoting a self of well-being and positive mental health! With careful stewardship, these benefits can continue for generations, appreciating over time.

Plan, Policy and Procedure

The City is committed to growing, sustaining, maintaining, preserving, and protecting our urban forest. To ensure these goals are met, the City has developed guiding policies and procedures:

The Urban Forest Management Plan outlines key principles, objectives, and strategies.
The Corporate Tree Management Policy and Procedure outline roles and responsibilities in managing the City of Edmonton Urban Forest and outline mechanisms to ensure preservation and protection. The Policy will be applied using the Guidelines for Evaluation of Trees and the Natural Stand Valuation Guidelines.
The Tree Preservation Guidelines provide information on how to preserve and protect trees before, during, and post construction or demolition to prevent or minimize the likelihood of tree loss or damage.

Trees and Construction

Are you planning any construction or demolition work? Does this work require laydown sites or site access within 5 meters of any City-owned trees or 10 metres within a natural area?

If you are coordinating any activities on or off City property that may have an impact on City trees, visit Public Tree Permit to take the steps required to preserve and protect City trees.

Public Tree Bylaw

A new permit process for tree protection and preservation came into effect on June 15, 2022. The Public Tree Bylaw requires a permit and tree protection or preservation plan for any work done within five metres of a boulevard and open space tree or within 10 metres of a natural stand. Information about the permit process will be available in the coming months. The bylaw passed on August 30, 2021 and applies to City-owned trees only.

Private Tree Care

Tips on caring for your trees - planting, watering, pruning, and controlling pests and disease.

Urban Forestry Planting and Educational Programs

The City offers several tree planting programs where citizens can get involved in growing and caring for Edmonton’s urban forest.

Urban Forestry Operations

The City manages several programs to ensure the preservation and protection of our Urban Forest.

Urban Forestry Spotlight - Emerald Awards

Protecting Edmonton’s Urban Forest During Neighbourhood Renewal

The City’s Community Forestry team was recently nominated for an Emerald Award, which showcases and recognizes environmental achievements throughout Alberta.

Edmonton’s Neighbourhood Renewal program is a long term approach to replacing and upgrading urban infrastructure within individual neighbourhoods in a focused, integrated process. Upgrades include underground drainage, streetlights, curb/sidewalk replacement, and road reconstruction, all within the same construction season.

While this process provides certain efficiencies, it is extremely stressful on adjacent trees, particularly mature trees providing the greatest environmental benefits. Intensive construction near trees can cause long-term health effects to trees, including death. The City of Edmonton’s Urban Forestry team has developed a comprehensive approach to preserve and protect trees from the impacts of these construction activities.

Emerald Award Nominees

Urban Forestry Team - George
Urban Forestry Team - Jennifer
Urban Forestry Team - Katelynne
Urban Forestry Team - Thomas
Urban Forestry Team - Yolanda
Urban Forestry Team - Trevor

Contact Us

Urban Forestry

Telephone	In Edmonton: 311 Outside Edmonton: 780-442-5311
Online	Contact 311 Online

Email	citytrees@edmonton.ca