What Does a City Arborist Do?

Skilled care is essential to tree health. Urban forest management is equal parts art and science and must be performed with great care to ensure a thriving landscape. What does a city arborist do in Arborwell’s West Coast region to ensure each tree’s safety, value, and beauty in the coastal urban landscape?

Sacramento City Arborists

Sacramento boasts one of the top urban forests in tree number, coverage, and diversity. A 2018 report documented over 87,000 trees on city streets and parks and about 1 million trees overall on public and private land. Sacramento holds the most trees per capita worldwide, earning the nickname “City of Trees.” Its tree canopy, the percent of tree coverage as seen via aerial view, is dense, covering about 19% of the city. Land Park has more than any other site in the city, with 33% coverage, including elms, oaks, sycamores, and other assorted species. Sacramento city arborists continue to manage ongoing challenges, including drought, aging trees, disease, and tree maintenance issues in the urban environment, to maintain, expand, and enhance the urban forest and protect trees for future generations.

San Francisco City Arborists

San Francisco’s streets hold an estimated 105,000 trees. Despite this seemingly large number, the city’s urban tree canopy is just 13.7% – the least of all major US cities. The region was naturally non-forested. Today, however, there is a concentrated effort to expand Sacramento’s urban forest to take advantage of energy-saving shade, pollution control, carbon sequestering, storm runoff control, and urban trees’ mental and physical health benefits. The city’s goal is to add 50,000 trees, increasing the overall tree population by 50% within the next 20 years. San Francisco city arborists strive to meet this target despite serious challenges, managing tree wellness and new tree additions in the urban environment’s narrow sidewalks and compacted soil during a prolonged and severe drought.

Seattle City Arborists

Seattle houses an estimated 6,300 large trees, with a canopy cover of 28%. Residential areas house most of the city’s urban trees, with the remaining located in rights-of-way throughout the city. Like Sacramento and San Francisco, Seattle is striving to increase the number of trees in the city. Its 2013 Urban Forest Stewardship Plan aims to reach 30% canopy cover by 2037 and improve tree diversity and age. Seattle’s urban forest management team strives to achieve this goal while inspiring community participation in selecting, planting, and caring for trees throughout the region.

Helping City Arborists Maintain Tree Health

ISA certification designates extensive training and arboricultural knowledge. For this reason, municipal arborists look to Arborwell’s tree care specialists to meet city tree management needs. Our ISA certified arborists have the skills to assist San Francisco, Sacramento, and Seattle municipal arborists, providing:

• Tree assessments and arborist reports
• Comprehensive, long-term tree management
• Tree pruning and maintenance
• Pest control and disease treatment
• Storm restoration
• Tree removal permit reviews
• Tree replacement
• Landscape design and tree selection
• Public improvement projects and budget planning
• And much more

Get expert tree care from Arborwell Professional Tree Management. Learn more about our certified arborist services and find out what a city arborist can do for you. Contact us to schedule an arborist consultation today in:

• San Francisco
• Seattle
• Sacramento