We inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees.
The urban forest plays an important role in Chandler’s landscape. The city maintains the portion of the urban forest located in public parks, green spaces, and rights-of-ways.
Trees are the very backbone of our neighborhoods. They shade our yards and sidewalks, prevent heat islands, improve physical and mental well-being, filter out air pollutants, tame stormwater, and make our neighborhoods feel like home.
Chandler’s Urban Forestry program is dedicated to protecting and preserving the city’s natural resources and providing education that empowers Chandler’s neighborhoods to care for and celebrate our urban tree canopy.
Chandler’s Urban Forestry program assists the city with planning for the planting, care, preservation, trimming, and removal of trees, shrubs, and long-lived perennial plants on city property.
Urban Forestry Tree Inventory Project
The City of Chandler Urban Forestry Tree Inventory Project is partially funded by the Arizona Department of Forestry Fire Management. The project includes an in-depth inventory of all trees in Chandler parks and facilities. During the inventory period, the team will evaluate each tree:
- Identify and quantify the tree species
- Measure the size, height and age
- Evaluate overall physical health
Why is tree inventory necessary?
This project allows Chandler an accurate profile of the species and health of the community forest.
- Monitor tree balance and diversity within the community
- Identify planting needs
- Recognize hazard trees and maintenance needs
- Establish plans for long-term care of community forests
- Increase education opportunities for community residents
The Tree Inventory Project began in January 2024 and was completed in April.
Tree Care
Guidelines for Planting
Many different and beautiful plants can be grown successfully in Arizona. When planted in the right place and cared for properly, trees help increase property value, provide shade and conserve energy.
Find out how to plant your tree by following these simple tips.
Tremendous Benefits
Now more than ever, trees are a vital component of healthy, livable, and sustainable neighborhoods. From climate resiliency to community well-being, trees provide a variety of benefits:
- Cools the Air
- Filters Urban Pollutants
- Mitigate Climate Change
- Improves Physical and Mental Health
- Improves Water Quality
- Increases Urban Biodiversity
- Increases Property Value
Get Involved
Classes/Workshops/Events
Explore the outdoors! Join us for various events held throughout the year and get hands-on, interactive experiences while learning about urban forestry in Chandler - and what you can do at home.
- Citrus Tree Picking Workshop - Feb. 1, 2025
- Landscape and Irrigation Workshops
- Arbor Day 2025- Stay Tuned!
Park Steward Program
The program helps those with a passion for conservation and sustainability gain hands-on experience while learning about important conservation topics.
Tree City USA®
Recognizing green communities across America since 1976, Chandler has been named a Tree City USA® Community by the National Arbor Day Foundation since 2011 for our support and achievements in maintaining and growing the urban tree canopy.
Chandler received its first Tree City USA Growth award for work completed in 2022. The Growth Award is presented by the Arbor Day Foundation to participating Tree City USA communities that demonstrate higher levels of tree care and community engagement during the calendar year.
Awarded a $40,000 Community Challenge Grantto help fund Chandler's first tree inventory and urban forest management plan from the AZ Department of Forestry and Fire Management.
Per the Department of Forestry and Fire Management
The Community Challenge Grant Program focuses on activities to encourage and promote citizen involvement in supporting long-term and sustainable urban and community forestry programs at the local level. Local and tribal governments, non-profit organizations, and public educational institutions qualify.
Community Challenge Grants are intended for promoting and enhancing the quality of Arizona’s urban and community forests. The program aims to fund projects that might not otherwise be funded through existing budgets, and research project funding is intended as “seed-grants” because of the limited funding available. All proposed projects should be designed to improve the long-term health and care of the urban forest, or initiate new urban forestry projects in Arizona communities.
Through the planting of trees, the City of Chandler, Arizona is working to address the challenge of extreme heat and the human health issues associated with a lack of tree canopy in a desert environment. Chandler will target disadvantaged communities that lack equitable access to trees identified in the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool. A key partner includes the Chandler Unified School District (CUSD) to educate students on urban forestry with planting at public parks and properties. The project’s goals are to increase tree canopy to maximize the benefits trees offer while providing education to students and the community.
Secured a $767,000 reimbursable grant over five years to execute the planting for Livability in the Desert Environment: Growing the Urban Forest in Chandler, a partnership with CUSD that will target planting trees (~175 annually) in disadvantaged neighborhoods & city parks, student/public education, and irrigation system improvements.
The City has partnered with Chandler High School's Plant Sciences and Future Farmers of America students to provide hands-on opportunities and a glimpse at careers in the world of urban forestry and government work.
Students can put what they learn in the classroom to practical use in the field by performing various tasks such as tree propagation, and tree planting, and learning about how their efforts positively impact the community.
Students also were interested in learning about careers in local government such as water conservation, park operations and maintenance, and urban forestry and the role these positions play in residents' livability.
Fifteen more trees were also planted at Tibshraeny Park to replace those lost from the summer 2023 storms.
Mission Statement
The city’s Urban Forestry Program strives to promote a safe, healthy, and diverse urban forest by preserving, managing, and enhancing tree resources while promoting active community participation through public education and outreach.
Meet the Staff
Josh Wagner, Parks Maintenance & Operations Superintendent
Ryan McCartney, Urban Forester