Cover Story

TUFC Enters a New Growth Cycle with A Focus on the Future

After Three Decades, Tennessee’s Urban Forestry Council Is Making Great Gains on Exciting New Initiatives (and Relaunching Fan Favorites)

By Ashley Kite-Rowland, Urban and Community Forestry Partnership Coordinator and Dr. Sharon Jean-Philippe, Professor, Forestry Wildlife and Fisheries Department, The University of Tennessee

When you think of the word “forest,” do you picture a rural landscape? A state park? Somewhere away from town or not where you live? If so, you are not alone. Forests are often perceived to be places you go to, away from humans and the built environment. But did you know that forests are all around you? Urban and community forests are integral parts of cities and towns across Tennessee no matter their size or population. The presence of urban and community forests, or lack thereof, brings diverse impacts ranging from human health and well-being to issues such as stormwater management (Photo 1). Spreading the message about community forests and the many benefits these resources provide is one of the main goals of Tennessee Urban Forestry Council, the state’s oldest urban forestry nonprofit organization.

The Tennessee Urban Forestry Council (TUFC) was formed in 1991 through the leadership of the Tennessee Division of Forestry and has since developed programming and partnerships that impact every region of the state. TUFC’s annual conference, educational events, and community programs support our mission (adopted in 2020) to inspire and empower the development, growth and sustainability of healthy community forests and affirms our vision that all Tennesseans will have access to the numerous benefits community forests provide.

We would be remiss to present the 32-year history of TUFC as all success and to exclude the impact of challenges faced in recent years. TUFC and its leadership have undergone a significant period of reflection and transition. Since 2019, the organization has been moving from primarily program-focused efforts to those that are impact-focused. Honestly, we are not there yet, and while the transition has not been pretty at times (COVID has definitely complicated planning and operations!), we remain confident that the changes we are making are for the greater good of the organization and communities across the state.

So, what has changed in the last few years? Are we still providing the programs that people love? Well, let’s begin with collaboration, which is such an important part of impact-driven work, because our collaborations have played a fundamental role in our transition over the last three years. Without question, collaboration has been central to TUFC from the organization’s inception. One of the most critical partnerships has always been between the TUFC and Tennessee Division of Forestry. Across time, the agility and strength of this relationship diminished as our organization’s programs, such as Arboretum Certification, became more popular and required more time to administer. This disconnect in our partnership pulled TUFC’s focus from the broader TN Urban and Community Forestry Program’s efforts and contributed to losing sight of why TUFC initiated these programs in the first place. This division was a disadvantage that we sought to remedy beginning in 2019.

Through numerous conversations and strategic listening sessions, a new relationship emerged in 2020 that now aligns the once disparate trajectories of Tennessee’s Urban and Community Forestry Program with the objectives of TUFC. This alignment resulted not only in new goals, but a new position for TUFC: that of Urban & Community Forestry Partnership Coordinator, which was filled by story co-author, Ashley Kite-Rowland in November 2020 (Photo 2). The responsibilities and focus on building relationships that are required of this position have helped to formally bridge the gap between the state’s goals regarding urban and community forest and TUFC’s programming. After piloting this position for six months, a second Forest Program Coordinator position was created in summer 2021. Together these positions in TUFC are shifting Tennessee’s Urban and Community Forestry Program from being primarily a state actor to one that is diversely collaborative in its work throughout the state.

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Today, our project collaborators within the state and outside TN have grown to include regional nonprofit groups, city governments, volunteers, and more! This evolution has resulted in increased grant writing, with several recently awarded grants enabling projects that address tree equity; developing greater connections with our regional peers; and working to ensure we are building a solid foundation that can withstand the changes that will inevitably come. So, while we may not have fully achieved our newly envisioned objectives, we are already making great strides toward success!

One of the most impactful things we have started during the last couple of years is a webinar series in partnership with the Residential and Community Forestry Working Group at the University of Tennessee. Working together, UT and Tennessee Urban Forestry Council bring free educational seminars to engage interested citizens and help Extension agents and industry professionals manage urban forests. These educational seminars offer continuing education credits for certified arborists, certified foresters, and/or pesticide points. We are beginning to branch back out to having in-person workshops and presentations, but this will not replace the webinar series, which we plan to continue in 2023.

The TUFC Arboretum Program is still flourishing, now with a newly adopted mission to develop a network of arboreta across Tennessee. TUFC’s objective is that arboreta are well-maintained, open to the public and proactively utilized for experiential education about trees and the important role they play in communities. Arboretum certification criteria remain the same with the requirement of 30, 60, 90 and 120 distinct species of trees to achieve differing certification levels (Photo 3).

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We currently have 97 arboreta actively certified throughout the state in big cities, small towns, school yards and cemeteries (Photo 4). This has always been one of our most popular programs, and this popularity contributed to the development of the Tree Sanctuary recognition program.

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TUFC’s Tree Sanctuary program was developed for homeowners and is committed to establishing and maintaining tree species diversity (Photo 5). It recognizes home landscapes with 10 or more diverse species of trees. To be certified a Tree Sanctuary, applicants are required to submit pictures, a map (digital or hand drawn) and a tree list with both common and scientific names. Homeowners are also required to sign a healthy yard pledge, which includes no topping, using a certified arborist when appropriate, and providing proper tree care. There are currently several tree sanctuaries recognized throughout Tennessee. Along with the Tree Sanctuary program, the TUFC provides recognitions of Landmark, Historic, and Heritage Trees throughout the state. This program blends fascinating history, trees, and a sense of place, making this one of our most beloved efforts. The online registry, which is currently being updated, features the recognized trees, their story and location. This program has been featured on public television and resulted in a coffee table book, Tennessee Trees, that is available for purchase online.

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A Landmark Tree is commonly recognized as an established and familiar feature of the community, confirmed as a significant part of the community’s heritage, or planted to commemorate special events or community leaders more than fifty years ago.

A Historic Tree has been a direct witness to a historic event or cultural movement significant nationally, regionally, or within the state and confirmed to date to that time.

A Heritage Tree is a fallen member of the registry whose contribution to the history and heritage of Tennessee deserves preserving.

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The Tennessee Urban Forestry Council also hosts an annual research and outreach conference for tree care professionals, our membership, and the interested public (Photo 6). Attendees benefit from opportunities to hear from leaders in community forestry on diverse topics, to meet with peers, and leave inspired to go back to our respective niches knowing we are part of something greater than our solo endeavors; that together we are making a difference. Newly recognized Landmark, Historic, and Heritage Trees are also formally acknowledged at the President’s Reception during the TUFC Annual Conference. Recipients of TUFC’s different Awards of Excellence are also honored (Photo 7). The Awards of Excellence program acknowledges individuals, teams, and businesses that are making a difference in community forests throughout the state. Awards are given in the following categories: Citizen Activist; Private Professional; Arboretum; Tree Board; Media; Government Employee; Green Industry; and the President’s Award. One of the great things about this program is that through the stories of these awardees, TUFC can highlight how one person can make an extraordinary difference in Tennessee and the world around them (Photo 8). So, if you know someone who is doing great things for the urban and community forests in your area, please nominate them to receive one of these awards.

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This year’s 2022 annual conference will be held at Montgomery Bell State Park on November 9th and 10th. The 2022 conference theme is Growing Greener Tennessee Communities and featured presentations will address the benefits of urban forests; green infrastructure; disaster preparedness, response, and recovery; addressing issues of tree equity; and more. Topics were chosen to inspire and empower urban and community forestry endeavors throughout all regions of the state. To learn more about our annual conference, please visit https://tufc.com/ programs/urban-forestry-conference/. We hope to see you there!