The City of Knoxville and the non-profit Trees Knoxville are inviting residents, business owners, developers, community groups and other stakeholders to help develop a Knoxville Urban Forest Master Plan, a long-term roadmap for increasing tree cover in all parts of the city.

The plan will be developed based on data and community input and after a series of public and stakeholder meetings next year.

The launch of the process begins at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14, , 2022, at the Civic Coliseum, 500 Howard H. Baker Jr. Ave., with an overview of the planning process that is to come. Free garage parking is available, and light refreshments will be served.

The initial step was taken with the City’s 2021 Urban Tree Canopy Assessment, and that study was revealing: It documented more than 24,000 acres of tree cover in Knoxville – 38 percent of the total land area.

And it broke down possible planting areas and potential canopy by City Council districts and at the neighborhood level.

The master plan will aim to bring together a range of stakeholders to plan ways to increase tree cover citywide – especially in areas that have traditionally enjoyed fewer trees.

“Trees play a vital role in our community, providing many environmental, social and economic benefits,” Urban Forester Kasey Krouse said. 

“The City of Knoxville in partnership with Trees Knoxville is getting ready to launch an Urban Forest Master Plan, a 20-year roadmap on what our community needs to do maintain and increase tree cover across the City of Knoxville. The plan will use data from the Urban Tree Canopy Assessment, obtain extensive amounts of public/stakeholder input and data, and look to improve the quality of life throughout Knoxville by enhancing, preserving and increasing tree cover on private and public land in an equitable, proactive and sustainable way.”

Current City and Trees Knoxville partners in the master plan project include the Knoxville Utilities Board, the Tennessee Division of Forestry and Keep Knoxville Beautiful.
 
For more information, visit www.knoxvilletreeplan.org.

The City of Knoxville ensures meaningful access to City programs, services and activities to comply with Civil Rights Title VI and ADA Title II laws and reasonably provides translation, interpretation, modifications, accommodations, alternative formats, auxiliary aids and services. To request language translation services for this public meeting, contact Community Empowerment Director Charles F. Lomax Jr. at [email protected] or 865-215-2536. For disability accommodations, contact City ADA Coordinator Stephanie Brewer Cook at [email protected] or 865-215-2034 at least 72 hours before the meeting.