Urban Forest Master Plan
Urban Forest Master Plan
The City of Asheville is working on an Urban Forest Master Plan that will bring the community together to learn and share ideas about our urban forest. Trees and tree canopy play a critical role in all communities by reducing heat, improving water and air quality, stabilizing slopes, providing food and forage for wildlife and humans, and adding to quality of life for everyone. The Urban Forest Master Plan will provide a roadmap of community-influenced recommendations to support a sustainable, resilient urban forest that thrives into the future.
Home
Happening Now
The Discovery phase of the Urban Forest Master Plan is coming to a close. This included collection of current data on the urban forest, including an Urban Tree Canopy study and a public tree inventory, a review of existing data, operations strategies, policies and programs, and collecting feedback from the community through a variety of public meetings and survey input.
All of this valuable information and feedback will help to shape the recommendations for Asheville's first management plan for urban trees. Development of the plan is currently in progress.
Stay up to date on the latest news from this project. Subscribe for email and/or text alerts in the box at the top of this page.
You can also host us at your group's next gathering. The City's Urban Forester is available to present at your next community meeting or gathering. Simply submit a "road show request form" and we will contact you.
Access the recording of our public information session with Urban Canopy Works on January 28, 2026. You can continue to share your perspective on the topics discussed by emailing comments to avltrees@publicinput.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
An urban forest refers to all the trees in a city's boundary, whether they are in a city owned park, a privately owned home, or anywhere else. The amount of land shaded by trees is referred to as the tree canopy. In Asheville, tree canopy was measured at 44.5% in 2019. This project includes a study that will measure current canopy coverage.
An Urban Forest Master Plan is a strategic plan to improve a community's urban forest. The plan is created by assessing the current health and distribution of Asheville's trees and by engaging with residents, stakeholders, and the community at large to determine needs, set goals, and provide recommendations for the steps needed to achieve those goals.
In 2019, the City of Asheville completed a study of its tree canopy and discovered that the tree canopy that shades the community has decreased by 6.4% in the last decade. Canopy is currently measured at 44.5%. This report was a call to action for Asheville residents who were concerned about continued losses. On June 11, 2024, City Council approved a contract with Urban Canopy Works, LLC, to develop an Urban Forest Master Plan to help the city expand and improve its urban forest.