Report

State of the Dallas Urban Forest

Publication Date:

Author: Texas Trees Foundation

Dallas’ urban forest is comprised of the individual trees and groves in and around the places we live, work and play. Urban forest assessment provides a baseline from which to measure changes, trends and outcomes. Sound urban forest management includes tree maintenance, policy development and budgetary decisions – based upon understanding the current conditions. Over the past six years, Texas Trees Foundation, in partnership with the City of Dallas, has compiled data from four studies with a goal of understanding Dallas’ urban forest structure, function and value. These studies include: 

Dallas Urban Heat Island Study: Dallas Sustainable Skyline Initiative – 2009 (Environmental Protection Agency & Houston Advanced Research Center) 

Roadmap to Tree Planting and Planning – 2010 (Texas Trees Foundation) 

Evaluating Open Space and the Impact of Canopy Change – 2013 (Texas Trees Foundation) 

i-Tree Eco Study – 2014 (Texas Trees Foundation) 

The State of the Dallas Urban Forest Report is the first of its kind to focus on our most vital natural resource – trees. Results have advanced our understanding of Dallas’ urban forest and provide the framework for quantifying the value of the urban tree canopy to make informed decisions for the future. This data illustrates how trees impact the environment and enhance both human health and the quality of life throughout Dallas and the region.