Urban and Community Forestry Society Partners with TREE Fund to Host Urban Forestry Foundation

In an effort to maximize the growth of its Urban Forest Foundation, the Urban and Community Forestry Society’s (UCFS) is partnering with Tree Research and Education Fund (TREE Fund) to guide, invest, and support the Foundation.

The Urban Forestry Foundation (UFF) was established to engage in the development, support, and promotion of urban forest training and the dissemination of technical and operational information. It provides funding for UCFS programs such as the Municipal Forestry Institute and the Municipal Arborist Exchange Program, as well as the development of new programs designed to improve education of urban forestry professionals.

Leslie Berckes, Executive Director of UCFS and Paul Putman, PhD, President and CEO of TREE Fund, worked together for several months to explore how the UFF’s funds could grow towards a larger endowment by utilizing TREE Fund’s long-term investment strategies. TREE Fund will house the Urban Forest Foundation and invest those funds as part of their overall endowment investment strategy. Each year, 5% will be utilized by UCFS to support participation in UCFS educational programs.

“We at the UCFS are excited to take a big step forward with the Urban Forest Foundation and partner with such a forward thinking, well-respected organization like TREE Fund,” said UCFS Board President Jamie King. “Our strategic plan sets a goal to ensure the UCFS and the Urban Forest Foundation will grow and serve more people for years to come. This goal set the stage for us to seek out a partnership with TREE Fund. Critical programs focused on professional development, like the Municipal Forestry Institute and Arborist Exchange, make our profession stronger and help grow public awareness and recognition of the urban forestry profession.”

The UFF’s focus on training adds another grant model to TREE Fund’s portfolio of education grant, research grant, and scholarship programs.

“UCFS, from its inception as the Society for Municipal Arborists to its recent name change, has garnered a well-deserved reputation for innovative and superlative programs like the Municipal Forestry Institute. We are excited to partner with UCFS to help build the Urban Forest Foundation to help them to serve more urban and community foresters, and we are looking forward to exploring new and innovative ways to work together,” said Putman.

TREE Fund is a non-profit organization whose mission is to support scientific discovery and dissemination of new knowledge in the fields of arboriculture and urban forestry. TREE Fund promotes scientific inquiry designed to benefit commercial, residential, utility and consulting arborists, urban foresters, and other professionals in related fields in their shared work to create, support and sustain vibrant urban canopies. TREE Fund surpassed the $6 million mark in grant and scholarship giving in Spring 2025. More information can be found at www.treefund.org.

The Urban and Community Forestry Society (UCFS), has been a sound and steady presence since 1964, helping urban and community foresters build the competence, confidence, and camaraderie needed to grow urban forestry programs across the globe. As a non-profit organization, UCFS is dedicated to supporting the people who make or support daily tree planting and care decisions and the organization is committed to education and professional development for urban and community foresters and advocacy for the urban forestry profession. www.ucfsociety.org