Boise's Community Forestry Unit, operating under Title 8 Chapter 4, prioritizes tree planting in lower-canopy neighborhoods such as the Bench to close inequities in shade, heat exposure, and air quality.
Boise has been a Tree City USA for over four decades and operates a dedicated Community Forestry Unit under City Code Title 8 §08-04. The unit maintains the public right-of-way tree inventory, requires permits for planting, pruning, or removing parkway trees, and coordinates with utility and ACHD work. A 2022 canopy assessment documented gaps between the North End and the Bench, prompting an equity-focused planting plan that targets schools, parks, and bus stops in lower-canopy census tracts. Replacement trees lean toward drought-tolerant native and adapted species suited to climate-shifted conditions.
Removing or improperly pruning a parkway tree without a Forestry permit is a misdemeanor under Title 8 §08-04, with restitution based on the appraised tree value.
See how Boise's urban forest equity rules stack up against other locations.
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