About Trees for Missoula
Trees for Missoula, a program of Climate Smart Missoula, is committed to the belief that a healthy urban forest is essential to building a livable, climate resilient community.
Growing healthy urban forests
The big, beautiful trees that line Missoula’s streets, adorn our parks and shade our homes were planted some 80 years or more ago, and most have life spans of around 50 to 100 years. That means we need to plant their replacements — today. Trees for Missoula is committed to ensuring that happens so our town remains green, cool, healthy and beautiful. To do that, we’re spreading education on proper pruning and care, encouraging people to plant trees, and assisting the City of Missoula with their urban forestry efforts.
MISSION
Trees for Missoula’s mission is to promote a healthier, sustainable, climate resilient urban forest through community planning, planting, stewardship, education and advocacy.
Trees for Missoula strives to increase public awareness regarding the importance of trees in the urban environment.
Trees for Missoula is committed to increasing resources for tree planting and maintenance in Missoula.
In all of its programs, TFM seeks to improve our city’s environment, build community and connect Missoulians with the natural world and each other.
WHO WE ARE – TREES FOR MISSOULA COMMUNITY
We are volunteer educators, advocates and stewards who strongly support and promote a larger, healthier urban forest for Missoula, and we do this a few different ways:
● We support and advocate for the city’s Urban Forestry Division, the good people who care for Missoula’s trees, by:
Planting trees in parks and along streets each fall,
Pruning Missoula’s youngest trees each winter, and
Advocating for funding to plant and maintain trees
● We educate Missoulians of all ages about the value and benefits of our urban trees public and private — and the roles we all play in keeping those trees healthy.
● We promote the proper planting and care of trees.
Background and History
June 2011 - Recognizing the need for an urban forest friends group, Friends of Missoula Parks put out a call. A diverse group including tree-loving private citizens along with UM, GIS, USFS and DNRC experts gathered to find out what help is needed and founded Trees for Missoula.
April 2012 – Trees for Missoula becomes the major sponsor for Run for the Trees with volunteers handing out seedlings to run participants.
Summer 2012 – Irrigation bags are used for the first time on Missoula’s newly planted trees, and Trees for Missoula volunteers distribute information to residents about them.
Summer 2013 – City of Missoula Urban Forestry staff and Trees for Missoula volunteers spend 14 weeks inventorying over 24,000 public street trees. The City and Trees for Missoula received a DNRC grant for this project, and Trees for Missoula purchased 3 Trimble GPS units
January 2014 - Representatives from the City of Missoula Urban Forestry staff, Trees for Missoula, USFS, DNRC and Friends of Missoula Parks meet bi-weekly to create the first Urban Forest Master Management Plan, which serves as a guide for community and volunteer engagement.
April 2015 – City of Missoula Urban Forest Master Management Plan is approved by city council.
October 2015 – The first Volunteers in Pruning (VIPs) class is trained.
April 2016 – Trees for Missoula and City of Missoula Urban Forestry partner to build a bare-root gravel bed at the Missoula Wastewater Treatment Facility.
September/October 2016 – Trees for Missoula volunteers plant the first gravel bed bare-root trees in city boulevards and parks.
October 2016 – Trees for Missoula along with Missoula Art Museum and City of Missoula Urban Forestry receive a DNRC grant for Montana’s first suspended pavement system at the Missoula Art Park.
December 2017 – Trees for Missoula receives a DNRC Program Development Grant for a shade shelter project.
November 2023 – Trees for Missoula becomes a program of Climate Smart Missoula
AFFILIATIONS
Trees for Missoula (TFM) supports the missions of the following organizations: