Strategic Plan

Help us Plant for the Future graphic
  

Trees are critical to Denver’s environmental health. They improve air quality, assist in stormwater management and help combat climate change. Denver Parks and Recreation and the Office of the City Forester have taken a big step toward creating a greener and cooler community here in Denver by developing the city's first Urban Forest Strategic Plan using feedback collected during an extensive community engagement process (2023).

The urban forest encompasses all trees within the city, both on public and private property. The purpose of the Urban Forest Strategic Plan is to refine tree canopy goals; identify new goals; and provide a common and equitable vision for the future of the urban forest in Denver. 

Implementation

Changes are being proposed to forestry regulations regarding tree planting, protection and maintenance under the Denver Revised Municipal Code (DRMC) Ch. 57 and Tree Care Rules & Regulations. These changes will help protect and grow the urban forest, as identified during the Strategic Plan outreach effort.

For a complete list of all the recommended action items, please review pages 92-93 of the Urban Forest Strategic Plan. Current proposed updates include:

DRMC Chapter 57:

  • Definitions such as consulting arborist, maintenance and public space
  • Creation of a Legacy Tree program
  • Expanded protection for private trees in residential development street setbacks
  • Creation of a financial guarantee for tree planting and preservation
  • General cleanup for consistency, clarity redundancy, references, etc.

Rules and Regulations:

  • Diversity requirements
  • Species limitations
  • More detail on irrigation, soil amendments, and understory planting
  • Tree spacing & soil volume
  • Maintenance requirements

Forestry staff is conducting outreach and engagement to gather additional detailed input on these updates and welcomes your feedback. Please contact Project Manager, Elizabeth Judd, with questions, comments, and concerns.

Open House 1:

We’ll be joining the Park Hill Park Open House on Sept 13 from 10:00am – 1:00 p.m. at the Hiawatha Davis Recreation Center.  Find full details.

Project Timeline:

  • Fall 2025: Phase 1 Community Outreach
  • Winter 2026: Phase 2 Outreach (Drafting, Internal, and Council Processes)
  • Spring 2026: Adoption

Other Forestry Planning Efforts:

February 2022: Urban Forestry Roundtable

Healthy urban forests need forethought and planning to thrive. With support from many tree advocates and partners, Denver Park & Recreation recently hosted a Roundtable and Workshop. This two-day event shared information across academic organizations, municipalities, non-profits, and other city departments.

View the recording of the Feb. 3, 2022 Urban Forestry Roundtable. The video includes introductions from City & County of Denver, a summary of the CU student nationwide forestry research results, and presentations from municipalities nationwide on their unique Urban Forestry Practices and Policies.  

Download the CU Masters of the Environment Report: Forestry Assessment and Recommendations(PDF, 4MB)

Completed in December 2021, the assessment summarizes research conducted by Masters of the Environment Students at CU Boulder.

August 2022: Denver's Urban Forest Assessment

This report analyzes the current administrative structure for managing urban trees in Denver, studies better practices from several other U.S. cities with successful urban tree management approaches, and outlines recommendations and strategies to improve the urban canopy in the city.

Download Denver's Urban Forest Assessment(PDF, 18MB)

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