In these tumultuous times, some of our most powerful allies are rooted in place. Trees, especially those growing in our towns, cities, and village centers, are doing quiet but critical work. The Vermont Urban & Community Forestry Program remains steadfast in its mission: helping communities grow healthy trees and stronger connections, even when resources are stretched.
In a true act of community spirit, the Johnson Tree Board recently relocated a 10-year-old crabapple tree from the flood-prone grounds of the Johnson Public Library to a new home in the Johnson Arboretum.
We are pleased to announce the projects selected to receive 2025 Tree Maintenance & Removal Grants to support local efforts to maintain healthy urban tree canopy.
In partnership with the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission and funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, we are pleased to announce that 11 projects across 5 counties have been selected to receive a total of $315,000 for urban tree planting projects.
Almost five years after East Montpelier’s pilot ash tree removal project along highly trafficked roads near the local middle and high school, the core volunteer Resilient Roads committee shares information and reflections about their ongoing work.
I read a study recently that found that individuals with greater levels of training in tree risk assessment consistently prescribe fewer tree removals, and more monitoring than individuals who lack such training. (Klein et. al 2023.) Even professional arborists who are fully qualified to advise customers about their best interests in tree care prescribe more take downs than similar professionals who have received specialized risk assessment training. This study shows that the more you learn about tree risk, the more comfortable you become designating trees as safe.
In late November, two staff from the VT UCF team traveled to Chicago, IL to join over 900 practitioners, researchers, and partners at the 2024 Partners in Community Forestry Conference, hosted by the Arbor Day Foundation. This story captures their reflections and resources they'd like to share with our audiences from their week in Chicago.
I’ve never had the pleasure of doing a crane removal myself, but I am well versed in the alternatives, and that’s enough for me to deduce the incredible advantages of the crane. It lifts the material in large pieces over obstacles like houses, and this makes the work significantly faster and easier--since typically arborists cut up trees into pieces and drag, roll or carry every pound to the truck.
Over the summer, intern Lila Turner explored the impact of VT UCF's grants on the landscape and in communities since the program was established in 1991. Over 1,000 individual grants have supported tree planting, tree maintenance, planning, outreach, and other efforts to create and sustain healthy urban forests in over 190 Vermont communities to the tune of over $3,000,000.
We are pleased to announce our 2025 grants program. $119k will be available in Tree Maintenance & Removal Grants and $315k will be available in Community Tree Planting Grants, offered in partnership with the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission.
This summer with UCF was spent working on many projects, from completing literature reviews and creating Excel templates to helping municipalities manage their street trees in the face of Emerald Ash Borer.
This summer I worked with the Vermont Urban & Community Forestry Program as a summer intern documenting the 30 years and $3.1 million in grant work that the program has done.
The latest tool in Montpelier’s urban forestry tool box is the Stockholm solution and it can be significantly more cost effective than other commercial soil cell systems (VTdigger recently did this feature). Learn more about the Stockholm solution, the costs associated, and the benefits of investing in this type of technique to grow larger, healthier downtown trees.
The Vermont Urban & Community Forestry Program and the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC) are pleased to announce the 2024 Community Tree Planting Grant first round awards: 9 projects across 6 counties will be funded.
What is happening in Vermont to make trees and green spaces more accessible for people with physical limitations? The Vermont Urban & Community Forestry Program’s own Urban Forester, Adam McCullough, had firsthand experience creating a universally accessible path in Montpelier’s Hubbard Park in his former position as City Arborist.
Spring has sprung and the Vermont Urban & Community Forestry Program is looking for more tree champions for the Vermont Big Tree List. This novelty list celebrates the largest known trees nominated in the state.
On behalf of the Vermont Urban & Community Forestry Program (VT UCF), the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC) is excited to announce the 2024 Community Tree Planting Program.
The recipients are 12 different organizations and volunteer groups connected with community growing spaces at community gardens, community farms, schools, housing communities, non-profits, and more – serving people across Vermont.
