FAQs

The urban forest includes all trees, vegetation, soils, associated natural processes, and cultural elements found in towns, cities, and other communities where people reside. Bellingham’s urban forest consists of forests and trees in the City found on both public and private property, including street trees, park trees, forested parklands, trees on institutional campuses, and trees in many private ownership settings, ranging from parking lots to backyards.

Bellingham’s city-wide canopy cover (excluding the Urban Growth Area) is 40%. Canopy cover is reported as the percent of total land area covered by trees. It is one of the most important metrics for assessing the urban forest as it can be compared between cities, neighborhoods, and land uses.

Bellingham’s canopy cover has remained relatively stable between 2006 and 2018, with canopy growth and loss occurring in a few areas throughout the city. Canopy loss primarily occurred due to timber harvesting and tree removal to accommodate development whereas canopy growth is mostly due to reforestation, growth from forested areas, and planting during development.

Bellingham was awarded the status as a Tree City USA community for the last 25 years in recognition of its dedication to valuing its trees. The program requires Bellingham to maintain an urban forestry department, have a tree ordinance, spend at least $2 per capita on urban forestry, and celebrate Arbor Day annually. Tree City USA has been recognizing communities since 1976 for their commitment to the mission of environmental change. Bellingham is one of 3,676 communities in the USA that are recognized by the Arbor Day Foundation for their commitment to their urban forest.

Planting and caring for the urban forest is a shared responsibility by the community. With a permit, we encourage planting a tree inside the public right-of-way (i.e., on your street). A Street Tree Permit is required before planting within the right-of-way and can be submitted online. The public right-of-way is wider than the street and sidewalk, see graphic here. To find out the location of the right-of-way and underground utilities next to private property, contact the city Planning or Public Works Department. The City has a list of approved street trees to assist with the selection of trees for planting in the public right-of-way. The application for a Street Tree Permit, Street Tree Policy, and Approved Street Tree List can be found here.

Pruning street trees is important for proper tree maintenance and to prevent conflict with conflicting infrastructure, including overhead wires. Pruning requires a street tree permit, and the good news is the process is easy to apply for a permit. Click here for an online application.

You can learn about planting trees and resources for pruning by reading the City of Bellingham Tree Planting Guide.

Call (360) 778-7100 for any questions or concerns regarding trees in City parks. Staff members from the Bellingham Parks & Recreation Department can help address issues regarding tree health and risk on City property.