City of Pittsburg
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What is an Urban Forest?
The City’s urban forest is made up of all the trees and vegetation that grow along our streets, in our parks, on public property, and even in our own backyards—together forming a living, interconnected system that supports a healthier and more vibrant community. Urban forests provide shade, cleaner air, habitat for wildlife, and a greener, more resilient city for everyone. To guide the care and growth of this vital resource, the City is currently creating an Urban Forest Master Plan, a long-term strategy that outlines how we will protect, maintain, and expand our tree canopy for generations to come. This plan serves as a roadmap for thoughtful stewardship, ensuring our urban forest continues to thrive as the city grows and changes.
View Pittsburg's City Tree Inventory HERE
Please note that at this time the inventory shows trees for which the city is responsible AND trees for which homeowners may be responsible.
Pittsburg CA Tree Inventory
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Pittsburg's Urban Tree Canopy
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Be a Part of our Urban Forest Management Plan!
Pittsburg's Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP) will serve as a roadmap for the future of Pittsburg's tree canopy and the community that shapes and benefits from it. You're invited to participate in the Plan's creation!
The survey is now live and we hope to hear your opinions, feedback and visions about our urban forest! Please click the link below to take the survey in the corresponding language:
» Survey in ENGLISH
» La encuesta en ESPAÑOL
Join us for an opportunity to participate in a community engagement meeting to discuss the UFMP. Details to be shared soon!
Join us for our SPRING tree planting event.
Our planting event will take place during
California Arbor Week - March 7-14
Help us grow our tree canopy and learn about Pittsburg's Urban Forest.
Planting event details will be posted soon. Updates will be posted here.
Project History
Pittsburg's Urban Forest Management Program Launch
In the Spring of 2023, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Forest Service (FS) announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Urban and Community Forestry Program (UCF). Under the Inflation Reduction Act, the Urban and Community Forestry Program received a historic $1.5 billion to support urban tree-planting, urban forest planning and management, and related activities, particularly in disadvantaged communities. It is the only dedicated urban forest program in the federal government.
By working with state partners and community tree groups, the program invests from the ground up in communities, improving more than 140 million acres of urban and community forest across the United States.
In February 2024, the City was awarded $2,000,000.00 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service’s Urban and Community Forestry Grant for Pittsburg’s Urban Forest Management Launch Program.
With this grant the city will conduct a tree inventory to establish baseline data on existing trees, secure software for this management effort, educate staff and the community about urban forest management, begin a tree planting/replanting program focused in our most disadvantaged neighborhoods and create a comprehensive Urban Forest Management Plan .
The goal is to develop a strategy for tree planting to increase the tree canopy.
A share of the new trees to be planted will be located in underserved areas of the City, meeting the grant program’s goals for equity, reducing the impact of greenhouse gases, and producing additional environmental benefits. Expansion of the urban forest will help meet the City’s goal of improving the quality of life for City residents.
Plan Progress Updates
- Spring 2025: City Tree Inventory Complete & Canopy analysis complete
- May/June 2025: Internal Stakeholder Survey & Focus Groups conducted with staff/councilmembers/fire department
- June 2025: Planning Commission received update on Plan progress and reviewed approved City Street tree list to be included in Urban Forest Master Plan
- Summer/Fall 2025: External Stakeholder Survey & Focus Groups in Progress
- Fall 2025:Fall Planting event at Giacomelli Park. We planted trees to increase the canopy in this park up to 22%!
Urban Forestry Resources
- How to Plant a Tree
- USDA Forest Service Urban & Community Forestry Program
- CAL Fire Urban & Community Forestry
- The Urban and Community Forestry Society
- The Arbor Day Foundation
- Urban Forest Management Plan Toolkit - What is a UFMP?
- What To Do - Trees Damaged by Fire
Are you interested in learning more about Urban Forests? Here are some helpful videos from reputable sources.