A community meeting to solicit input on the future of the City of Norman’s Urban Forest will be held from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 8, 2025, at the Norman Adult Wellness and Education Center at 602 N. Findlay Ave.

Information about the City’s Urban Forest Master Plan (UFMP) will be presented by the Parks & Recreation Department’s Forestry Division and their consulting team from DAVEY Resource Group. The UFMP is being developed to help guide the projects and policies the City will use to grow and maintain the urban forest for decades to come. The interactive presentation will offer those in attendance the opportunity to suggest ideas and provide feedback about their experiences with growing trees in Norman. This will help ensure that the City of Norman continues to lead the way in environmentally responsible programs.

“Norman’s urban forest is made up of all the trees in the city – in yards, parks, tree lawns and more,” said City Forester Colin Zink. “Trees improve our lives by making Norman a cooler, cleaner, more beautiful place to live.” 

This is one part of a multi-year program underway to inventory Norman’s urban forest, better define public and private tree maintenance responsibilities, and create a clear vision for improving the overall longevity of trees in Norman. Norman has been recognized as a “Tree City, USA” for more than 20 years through the Arbor Day Foundation, which recognizes communities that consistently prioritize the planting and care of trees. Creating a UFMP is a valuable part of continuing to prioritize tree health, Zink says, as part of overall community health. 

In addition to the public presentation, the Department of Parks & Recreation has developed an online survey to gauge community sentiment on a range of issues related to the Urban Forest Master Plan. That survey is available at https://tinyurl.com/3asmaycy and will be open through April 30, 2025.

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