Official Web Site of the City of Phoenix

A program of the City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department
Program Mission Benefits of Trees The Care of Trees Resource Materials Further Information Resource Books For Adults Tree Books For Children	1802 W. Encanto Boulevard Phoenix, AZ 85007 For more information contact Richard Adkins at (602) 495-3762 E-mail inquiries to: richard.adkins@phoenix.gov Common (recommended) trees of Arizona	Chinese Elm Ulmus parvifolia

Program Mission

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To enhance Phoenix's urban forest environment by promoting tree planting and increasing awareness of proper tree care through public and community efforts.

Benefits of Trees

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Trees . . . provide shade, beautify our surroundings, absorb carbon dioxide, supply oxygen, help the environment, conserve water, reduce soil erosion, give wildlife a home, increase property values, decrease energy use, lessen noise pollution, lower air temperatures, add character to neighborhoods, save cost of utilities, reduce storm water run-off, and give us a sense of peace and tranquility.

The Center for Urban Forest Research, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, recently published the "Desert Southwest Community Tree Guide," a quantitative report on the benefits and costs for typical trees in the Southwest. Results showed that average annual benefits increased with mature tree size:
$14 to $18 for a small tree
$25 to $30 for a conifer and medium shade tree
$37 to $43 for a large tree
If you would like a copy of the complete report which explains how these figures were obtained, call Phoenix Urban Forestry at 602 495-3763.

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The Care of Trees

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Caring For Your Trees: "Mayor Gordon's Shade Initiative"
Palm Tree Maintenance

Need information about selecting, planting and caring for trees? Have questions about trees? Call and we will try to help, see the list of available brochures under Resource Materials, check the list of Resource Books, or contact one of our partners listed for additional help.

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Resource Materials

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The following brochures are available from Phoenix Urban Forestry:

Local Brochures

Guide to Arizona Desert Shade Trees
A Tree Planting Guide for Kids and Their Parents
Watering Trees and Shrubs
Plants for the Desert Southwest

International Society of Arboriculture

Avoiding Tree and Utility Conflicts
Benefits of Trees
Buying High-Quality Trees
Mature Tree Care
New Tree Planting
Pruning Mature Trees
Pruning Young Trees
Recognizing Tree Hazards
Tree Selection
Why Topping Hurts Trees

Tree City USA bulletins

How to Prune Young Shade Trees (English and Spanish)
Don’t Top Trees! (English and Spanish)
How to Kill a Tree
How to Select and Plant a Tree (English and Spanish)
Ten Tree Myths to Think About
The Right Tree for the Right Place (English and Spanish)
The Way Trees Work—How to Help
When a Storm Strikes (English and Spanish)

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Further Information

• Arizona Community Tree Council, President John Eisenhower, 1110 W Washington St. # 100, Phoenix, AZ 85007; 602-542-6191; www.aztrees.org
• Arizona State Land Department, Urban Forester, Ron Romatzke, 1616 W. Adams, Phoenix, AZ 85007; (602) 542-2518; www.land.state.az.us/programs/natural
• University of Arizona Cooperative Extension Service, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix, AZ 85040; 602- 470-8086; ag.arizona.edu/maricopa/garden/
• The National Arbor Day Foundation, 100 Arbor Avenue, Nebraska City, NE 68410, www.arborday.org
• Treetures, 1-800-863-7175, www.treetures.com
• National Tree Trust, 1120 G Street, NW, Suite 770, Washington, D.C. 20005, 1-800-846-8733
• International Society of Arboriculture, P.O. Box 3129, Champaign, IL 61826-3129, www.isa-arbor.com
  

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Resource Books For Adults

Duffield, Mary Rose and Jones, Warren D. - "Plants for Dry Climates"

Editors - "Sunset Western Garden Book"

Harris, Richard - "Arboriculture"

Mielke, Judy - "Native Plants for Southwestern Landscapes"

Shuler, Carol - "Low Water-Use Plants for California and the Southwest"

Wasowski, Sally - "Native Gardens for Dry Climates"

Turner, R. M. - "Sonoran Deseret Plants: An Ecological Atlas"

Petrides, George A. - "A Field Guide To Western Trees"

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Tree Books For Children

Thornhill, Jan - "A Tree in a Forest"

Lauber, Patricia - "Be a Friend to Trees"

Gulberson, Brend - "Cactus Hotel"

Aronsky, Jim - "Crinkleroot's Guide to Knowing the Trees"

Silverstein, Shel - "The Giving Tree"

Oppenheim, Joan - "Have You Seen Trees?"

Gackenbach, Dick - "Mighty Tree"

Ehlert, Lois - "Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf"

Brandt, Sue - "State Trees: Including the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico"

Hiscock, Bruce - "The Big Tree"

Treeselt, Alvin - "The Gift of the Tree"

Cherry, Lynne - "The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest"

Jeunesse, Gallim - "The Tree"

Burnie, David - "Tree"

Gamlin, Linda - "Trees"

Maestro, Betsy - "Why Do Leaves Change Color?"

Ryder, Joanne - "Hello, Tree!"

Levine, Arthur A. - "Pearl Moscowitz's Last Stand"

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Educational materials are available on request to adults about planting, care and maintenance of trees or through the libraries where special racks with tree information rotate between branch libraries. Please call 602 495-3762 to determine the current location of the racks.