Rutgers Urban Forestry Program

The Urban Forestry Program at Rutgers University, part of the Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources at the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences (SEBS), offers an accredited undergraduate track in Urban Forestry within the EENR major. Rutgers holds accreditation from the Society of American Foresters (SAF) for both its Urban Forestry and Natural Resources & Ecosystem Management tracks—the first university in New Jersey to earn this distinction.

In addition to academic offerings, the program engages in graduate research and partners with industry and government to provide outreach and education across New Jersey and beyond.

If you have any questions, or think you may be interested in urban/community forestry as a career, please contact us.

Rutgers Cooperative Extension

The Urban Forestry Program is proud to be a partner of the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station – Rutgers Cooperative Extension. 

What is Urban Forestry?

The Society of American Foresters defines urban forestry as, “the art, science, and technology of managing trees and forest resources in and around urban community ecosystems for the physiological, sociological, economic, and aesthetic benefits trees provide society.”

The urban/community forest is where trees and people meet. Trees provide numerous benefits to the people who live among them, including stormwater management, pollution mitigation, and, if placed correctly, reduction of heating and cooling costs. Trees have also been proven to reduce anxiety and increase property values. These ecosystem services are compounded in the built, urban environment.

Trees are not native to urban settings. In order for our urban and community forests to truly thrive, and in order to maximize the ecosystem services they provide, they must be properly planned, maintained, and managed.

Urban forestry is a relatively new discipline, full of new ideas and opportunities to innovate. The need for highly trained, qualified professionals in this industry is growing quickly as more and more people begin to realize the extent of the benefits that the urban forest provides, as well as the complexity of managing this resource.