Tacoma's Many Plans
Since 2004, Tacoma has adopted the following detailed plans, all of which include commitments to preserve and extend our tree canopy. When you read or look over these plans you begin to realize that over the years many smart and well-intentioned people have time and time again concluded that we must preserve our existing trees and restore the canopy that was cut to the ground more than 100 years ago. So many plans, created by dedicated people, and yet we never find a way to fund their implementation.
We itemize these plans here for you to have the chance to see what the City has already committed to do, and also as a way to suggest we need not plan any more! It is time to act and find a way to make things happen.
One Tacoma Comprehensive Plan: Chapter 4 Environment and Watershed Health: The City’s Comprehensive Plan, as required and guided by the State’s Growth Management Act, was recently updated and adopted on June 24, 2025. See Page 219 for the City’s commitment to:
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Resource and implement the Council-adopted Urban Forest Management Plan
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Neighborhoods to have a minimum tree canopy cover of 30% by 2050
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Increase the City's responsibility in the public right-of-way for planting and maintaining trees along pedestrian and bike routes, as well as the maintenance and replacement of sidewalks
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Preserve large healthy trees, native trees and vegetation, tree groves, and forested areas
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Invest in tree planting and maintenance
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Use them City’s Tree Risk Management Plan to assess tree removal applications
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Use the Trees and Sidewalks Operations Plan, Page 05: 1D.6
Environment and Watershed Health Plan: Adopted by the City Council in 2004, this was the beginning of the City’s focus on improving water quality and habitat. Tacoma Public Utilities, the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, local community organizations, local businesses, and residents collaborated to set specific environmental goals and commitments to best practices.
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Commits to protecting and restoring local watersheds and ecosystems
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Aims to engage the community in environmental stewardship and education
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Establishes measurable goals for water quality and habitat restoration
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Promotes collaboration among local agencies, stakeholders, and residents
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Supports sustainable land use practices to minimize environmental impact
Tacoma Environmental Action Plan 2016: Adopted by the City Council, this plan outlines actions the City was to take for the subsequent five years to become more environmentally sustainable, to include reducing air and water pollution and responding to the challenges of climate change.
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Adopted goals for controlling emissions, reducing energy consumption, and waste management
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Committed to increase tree canopies, focusing on low-income neighborhoods and communities of color most susceptible to heat island effect
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Committed to reduce stormwater quantity and/or increase quality in each of the city’s watersheds by developing Management Plans that use best practices appropriate to each watershed’s natural and built conditions
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Committed to preserve and expand urban forest canopies with climate resilient species based on heat island data analysis
Tacoma Shoreline Master Program (SMP): Adopted by the City Council in 2019 as integral to the City’s One Tacoma Comprehensive Plan, it protects the ecological functions along the City’s shoreline.
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Includes guidelines to ensure “no net loss” of trees and other vegetation along the shoreline
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Requires replanting of trees or native vegetation if removed from the shoreline buffer
Tacoma Climate Action Plan: Adopted by the City Council in 2021, sets more than twenty targets for 2030, including greenhouse gas reductions, protections for people, infrastructure, natural systems, and better-connected communities.
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Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050
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Increase energy efficiency in city buildings and infrastructure.
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Promote renewable energy sources and technologies
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Enhance public transportation and encourage active transportation options
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Improve resilience to climate impacts through green infrastructure
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Exceed the national average per capita dollar rate spent on tree care
Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP): Adopted unanimously by resolution of the City Council in 2019, intended to be part of the One Tacoma Comprehensive Plan entitled One Tacoma, One Canopy, this plan lays out a comprehensive approach with significant community involvement, including a volunteer Urban Forest:
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Prologue: “Tacoma’s trees and forests are recognized as integral to sustaining life and health for all City residents. A healthy, thriving, and sustainable urban forest is a community priority, to be thoughtfully managed and cared for by partnerships between the City and its residents to maximize public safety and benefits that include a thriving ecosystem, vibrant economy, and livable communities shared by all Tacomans.”
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Contains goals, strategies, targets, actions, and evaluations which remain appropriate today
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Outline best practices for the City and its residents to follow
Urban Forest Management Plan Research Summary; Published November 2019: A team of city employees, consultants and community volunteers conducted extensive research and auditing to establish the baseline conditions for Tacoma’s Urban Forest Management Plan.
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Established benchmarks for the City to follow and measure progress, comparing its resources and budgets to Bellevue, Longview, Olympia, Kirkland, Renton, Seattle, Redmond, Vancouver, Bellingham, and Spokane; Only Spokane had a lower forestry budget per capita than Tacoma, which is no longer the case
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Contains in-depth information regarding all aspects of urban forest needs and programs, with comparisons to other nearby cities
Urban Forestry Management Plan: 2023 Progress Report: See Page 5 for progress:
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Achieving about 50% of annual goal to plant 10,500 trees
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Partial Hazardous Tree Assistant Program in place
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No progress with Tree Risk Management Plan or Trees and Sidewalks Operations Plan
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Heritage Tree Program Created (without adequate protections)
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No progress with No Net-Loss Policy
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Post Planting Tree Care Requirements updated for residents, but no resources assigned
Urban Forest Manual (UFM): a guide created to facilitate the planning, design, installation and maintenance of trees and landscaping required for new development and redevelopment per the City of Tacoma’s (City) Tacoma Municipal Code (TMC) 13.06.090B Landscaping Standards and other applicable portions of the Zoning Code (TMC 13.06):
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Currently up to date, per existing Municipal Code and City Policies, although weak when compared to other cities such as Portland, Seattle, Bainbridge, Federal Way, Snoqualmie Falls, and even Lakewood
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Contains helpful lists of approved and prohibited small, medium and large trees
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Lots of suggestions and rules regarding the selection, spacing, planting and maintenance of trees
Urban Watershed Protection Plan (UWPP): a framework to systematically identify and prioritize areas of the City for stormwater quality improvement actions.
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A future opportunity to expand the UWPP and Watershed Tool will involve evaluating additional actions to protect, restore, and connect Tacoma’s open spaces and urban forest areas. Actions to improve biodiversity and ecosystem health will likely be coordinated with stormwater management projects by re-establishing corridors, water cycle connectivity, and other key naturalization goals. The UWP Plan and associated ranking tools will be refined and further utilized to prioritize areas of the City for natural systems management protection and restoration
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Consult community members to identify potential co-benefits of stormwater and watershed management actions that also address the key community needs identified by neighborhoods. Co-benefits may include community cohesion, positive mental health impacts, walkability, shade, lower temperatures, less urban flooding, cleaner streets, water conservation, more swimmable beaches, increased urban wildlife, and access to nearby nature
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Installation of Filterra Tree Boxes on Puyallup and Portland Avenues
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Includes Community Depave Program
Stormwater Management Program(SWMP) Plan: recently adopted by the City Council; For the first time, Tacoma recognizes that green infrastructure is a viable means to control stormwater runoff. The City’s prior Stormwater Management Program Plan was 58 pages long without the word “tree” present anywhere in the report. Historically, the City has considered only gray infrastructure to address surface water issues. This new plan recognizes, but does not fund:
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This plan is required to retain the City’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Municipal Stormwater Permit as dictated by the Clean Water Act of the United States. It now includes:
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By December 31, 2026, the City must map its tree canopy for all City-owned or operated properties
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By December 31, 2028, : Adopt tree canopy goals and policies, with a focus on overburdened communities and preserving mature canopy
Specifically, it requires coordination to identify if stormwater management needs are included in existing long-range planning efforts. This ensures LID principles and BMPs continue to be required in code as preferred stormwater management approach, development of tree canopy goals, and continued coordination with an inter-disciplinary team.
