General Overview

Urban Forestry professionals are engaged in the establishment, care and management of individual trees and forests in and near urban areas. The high demand for Urban Foresters throughout the United States is a result of the increasing amount of urban expansion into adjacent rural areas. The great value placed on individual trees in urban areas requires that Urban Foresters be educated to care for and manage each tree, as well as, the whole forest. Urban Foresters must understand the relationship between the unique environmental stresses present and their effect on the trees and forests in and adjacent to urban areas. Urban Foresters must be knowledgeable in disciplines such as forestry, arboriculture, horticulture, plant pathology, entomology, turfgrass management, and urban wildlife. Since the Urban Forester's domain is in populated areas, they need to have excellent personnel management and communication skills. Urban Foresters work closely with the public and private sectors to protect the existing urban forest and plan for the preservation and establishment of the urban forest for the future. Employment opportunities for Urban Foresters include working for city, state, or federal governments, commercial tree care firms, consultants, golf courses and utility companies.

Students earning a Bachelor of Science in Forestry degree with a major in Urban Forestry are prepared to enter the work force because of the recognized, outstanding forestry, environmental science and horticulture programs at Stephen F. Austin State University. In addition to the general education core, the Urban Forestry curriculum includes core courses in the traditional forestry disciplines. Specific Urban Forestry education is accomplished by coursework in turfgrass management, landscape plant materials, arboriculture, recreation and human resource management. For more information on the Urban Forestry program at Stephen F. Austin State University, contact: Dr. Hans Williams.