Existing Urban Forestry Efforts in Tacoma
Tacoma has a long history of urban forest management policies, codes, and studies. The
first tree protection ordinance in Tacoma, and Washington State, was adopted in 1927 as
“9.18 Trees and Shrubs – Trimming and Removal”. This called for the protection of
Tacoma’s street trees growing in the right-of-way (see 9.18.030). From then, a number of
tree, vegetation, plant, and forest-related municipal codes have been added through a
long history of Tacoma ordinances. In addition to ordinances, the city has completed
various tree-related studies, plans, and assessments. The following provides the more
recent efforts:
1992: Urban Forest Management Plan
2010: Urban Forest Policy Element
2014: Urban Forest Manual
2015: Tacoma 2025
2016: Environmental Action Plan
2016: Right-of-Way Design Manual
2018: Tree Canopy Assessment
2019: Sample Tree Inventory
2019: Tacoma Mall Tree & Planting Site Inventory (public & private)
2019: Urban Heat Island Study
2019: Urban Forest Management Plan
2019: Tacoma Mall Strategic Urban Forest Action Plan
Contact the Urban Forestry Program at (253) 502-2138 or trees@cityoftacoma.org for more information about these policies, codes, and studies.