Tennessee Urban Forestry Council

Tennessee Urban Forestry Council We inspire and empower people to sustain healthy urban forests. TUFC social media is funded in part by a USFS grant via the TN Div. of Forestry.

TUFC does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, or national origin in accordance with Federal law.

Spaces are filling up for our upcoming ISA Certified Arborist Exam Prep Course in Nashville. Learn more and register at...
08/11/2026

Spaces are filling up for our upcoming ISA Certified Arborist Exam Prep Course in Nashville. Learn more and register at tufc.com/events.

This course is made possible through the generous support of Southern Chapter ISA, Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Division of Forestry, and volunteers investing their time and expertise toward the next generation of Certified Arborists.

The Forest Service’s Jenkins et al. (2003) paper — National‑Scale Biomass Estimators for United States Tree Species — sh...
08/10/2026

The Forest Service’s Jenkins et al. (2003) paper — National‑Scale Biomass Estimators for United States Tree Species — showed that you can estimate a tree’s biomass using only its DBH, and it reached a striking conclusion: about one‑quarter of a tree’s total biomass is belowground. That means roughly 25% of a tree’s weight is in its roots, quietly doing the work of anchoring, storing carbon, and helping nourish the tree. For Tennessee’s urban forests, this matters more than most people realize. When we plant a street tree in Murfreesboro, Nashville, Memphis, or Chattanooga, we’re not just adding shade and beauty above ground — we’re also adding a substantial underground carbon reservoir. Those roots stabilize soils, reduce stormwater runoff, and help trees survive droughts and heat waves, which are becoming more common across the state. In neighborhoods with compacted soils or limited planting space, understanding that a quarter of the tree lives below the surface underscores why proper soil preparation, adequate rooting volume, and long‑term care are essential. Jenkins’ root‑to‑shoot ratio gives Tennessee communities a simple, science‑based way to explain that every new tree is doing double duty: cooling the air we breathe and quietly storing carbon beneath our feet.
This message brought to you by the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council. For more information, visit https://tufc.com/. To become a member, click https://tufc.com/membership/.

Urban forests are basically “small forests under stress,” and Hurtado’s work helps explain why some city tree canopies t...
08/03/2026

Urban forests are basically “small forests under stress,” and Hurtado’s work helps explain why some city tree canopies thrive while others decline. Diverse patches—parks, greenways, older neighborhoods with mixed species—handle drought, pests, and extreme weather far better than areas dominated by just a few species. A canopy built mostly from maples or Bradford pears is fragile; a canopy built from oaks, hickories, elms, magnolias, and understory natives is flexible and self‑repairing. The study also reinforces something Tennessee cities already see: management only works when it fits the local context. A planting strategy that works in Knoxville may flop in Memphis. A pruning approach that helps Nashville’s canopy may not help Chattanooga’s. Hurtado’s network analysis shows that management is not a magic lever—it’s a tool that only succeeds when biodiversity is already doing the heavy lifting.

For Tennessee’s cities, the practical takeaway is simple: protect existing diverse patches, plant a wider mix of native species, and avoid monoculture street tree programs. That’s how you build an urban forest that can handle hotter summers, stronger storms, and new pests without constant emergency intervention.

This message brought to you by the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council. For more information, visit https://tufc.com/. To become a member, click https://tufc.com/membership/.

It's not too late to register for Canopy Connections in Chattanooga with the Chattanooga Tree Project! We're bringing t...
07/29/2026

It's not too late to register for Canopy Connections in Chattanooga with the Chattanooga Tree Project! We're bringing together southeast Tennessee's urban forestry community this Thursday, 7/30, from 5:30 - 7:30 PM for a fun evening at White Duck Taco. Visit tufc.com/events to RSVP. The first 75 attendees receive a drink ticket.

Nashville friends -- we're looking for our next cohort of Tree Stewards with the Nashville Tree Foundation. Registratio...
07/29/2026

Nashville friends -- we're looking for our next cohort of Tree Stewards with the Nashville Tree Foundation. Registration is open!

07/27/2026

Registration for our 2026 Tree Stewards cohort is officially OPEN! 🌳📝

If you love trees and want to learn the ins and outs of tree biology, proper planting techniques, and long term care, this is your sign!

Through this 7-week course, you’ll get hands-on training from local experts and become a certified advocate for our community’s green spaces. No previous forestry experience required!

We are proud to partner with the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council for this program. TUFC provides the program standards and necessary materials for local chapters like ours to host this wonderful learning experience! This program is also proudly supported by the Tennessee Division of Forestry. 🌳💚

🔗 Scan the QR code or check the link in the comments to register!

Urban trees, a research paper shows, aren’t passive background elements—they actively shape how a city feels by slowing ...
07/27/2026

Urban trees, a research paper shows, aren’t passive background elements—they actively shape how a city feels by slowing wind, easing heat, and reducing the pressure loads that drive up building energy use. When canopy is lost, winds strengthen, temperatures rise, and neighborhoods become less comfortable and more expensive to cool and heat. Even leafless trees still help break up airflow, proving that canopy structure matters year-round. For Tennessee’s urban forests, this means every street tree functions as climate infrastructure. Losing canopy doesn’t just change the look of a block; it changes the weather people experience. And planners can take advantage of this: prioritize canopy corridors along major streets to moderate wind and heat, require tree first site design in new developments, protect mature canopy during redevelopment, and use species with strong aerodynamic traits where wind buffering or pedestrian comfort is a priority. By treating trees as climate control assets—not amenities—planners across Tennessee can reduce energy demand, improve comfort, and build resilience into communities facing hotter summers and stronger storms.

This message brought to you by the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council. For more information, visit https://tufc.com/. To become a member, click https://tufc.com/membership/.

When you look at what research says, blackgum (also known as black tupelo or sour gum) comes across as one of those stea...
07/20/2026

When you look at what research says, blackgum (also known as black tupelo or sour gum) comes across as one of those steady, unbothered trees that just handles drought better than most of its neighbors. It keeps its leaves hydrated longer, it knows how to tighten its pores to save water without shutting down, and its deep roots let it reach moisture other trees can’t touch. Its wood and water‑transport system are built tough too, so it’s less likely to suffer the kind of internal failures that take out other hardwoods during long, hot spells. Even though a reliable 1990 study focuses on oaks, blackgum shows up again and again as the “this is what drought tolerance looks like” species. And for Tennessee’s urban forests, that really matters. It means blackgum is a dependable, climate‑steady native that can hold its own in tough planting spots—parking lots, dry slopes, compacted soils—and help cities keep long‑term canopy cover even as summers get hotter and rainfall gets more unpredictable. It’s one of those quiet, reliable trees that helps Tennessee communities stay green and resilient.

This message brought to you by the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council. For more information, visit https://tufc.com/. To become a member, click https://tufc.com/membership/.

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