Tampa Wins 2025 Tree City USA Recognition

Tampa earned 2025 Tree City USA designation from the Arbor Day Foundation, recognizing the city's investment in urban forestry and tree management.

Cities qualify for the award by maintaining a tree board or department, adopting a community tree ordinance, spending at least $2 per capita on urban forestry, and hosting an Arbor Day celebration.

Mayor Jane Castor said Tampa's urban canopy cools streets, improves air quality, and reduces stormwater runoff. "Being named a Tree City USA reflects the hard work our team does every day to invest in Tampa's environment," she said.

Tampa runs several tree programs. Tree-mendous Tampa provides free trees for city land and street rights-of-way, with residents receiving up to two per year if they commit to watering them. Plant Your Heart Out provides trees for private and public property through neighborhood associations. The Mayor's Tree Giveaway distributed about 600 trees in three hours at the April 2025 event.

The city protects its canopy through strategic planting, routine maintenance, development standards that preserve existing trees, and community education. In January, Tampa hosted its first Tree Town Hall, offering free planting consultations with a certified arborist.

More information on Tampa's urban forestry programs is available at Tampa.gov/treesfortampa.