"Okay, I see the importance of urban and community forestry, and I'm concerned about my neighborhood. What can I do?"

Glad you asked! Here are a few ways to take action. 

• Take a walk. First of all, just take some time to check out the trees in your neighborhood. How many are there? What condition are they in? Are there areas that seem bare and in need of greening? Have any trees been topped or do any seem in bad health? 
• Take the long view. If you can, try to get a view of your city or town as a whole, from up high. (Use a tall building, or get a window seat the next time you take a flight and catch a peek on the takeoff.) Does your city or town have a good canopy (tree cover)? Are there areas that are dense with trees and other areas that seem bare? 
• Find out who's who. Use the Who's Who section to find out what's going on in your state. Click on your state name to go to your state file. At the top of your state file, there's a link to your states natural resource or forestry division. Click on it to find out about the department that is maintaining the urban forest in your state. You should also be able to get the name, address, and phone number of your states urban forester. And you might want to check out your extension services to see if they have information. 
• Develop a vision. Think about what kind of changes you'd like to see in your neighborhood. Do trees need to be planted? Do already existing trees need to be cared for? Is there a stream or river that needs cleaning up? 
• Join up. If there's a local group already working in your city or town, contact them to find out what they're doing and how you can help.
• Read up. You can use the news desk section to read the latest stories on urban/community forestry and related topics in cities and towns across the nation and worldwide. You might find out about a problem that needs solving, or get a great idea you want to share. 
• Start something. If you decide you want to start your own group or project, the links on group management can give you good ideas. 
• Plant a tree. Check out the tree selection links to find information on how to select a tree, and the planting links to get information on how to plant it. Or, check out your state links to find information that may be specific to your area. 
• Learn to maintain trees. Check out the tree maintenance links to find information on how to correctly prune a tree and provide the other kinds of care that trees need to stay healthy. 
• Start talking. In the Tree Talk area, you'll find links to forums where you can post messages, and also a list of links to mailing lists, chat areas, and other forums. You may find a group that shares your specific interest in trees. 
• Speak up! If you have a question, comment, or suggestion about how to take action and these resources don't help, please write us. We might be able to point you in the right direction. And visit often to find additional information on this page and others!