Meet Albuquerque's City Forester

In 2006, Mayor Chávez and City Council passed ordinance 6-6-1 creating an Urban Forestry program in charge of all private and public trees within the city's limits.

"Trees are the primary tool that we are going to use to be sustainable in Albuquerque.

Trees are the best, low-cost, passive tool that people will actually enjoy having. Regulations can only go so far, but trees can make us truly sustainable."
- Nick Kuhn, City Forester

All of Albuquerque is an urban forest. In fact, the trees in your yard are part of the urban forest that keeps our city clean and cool.

Increasing CO2 Storage Through Urban Forestry

A healthy urban forest helps to offset the C02 emission we emit everyday in our day to day activities.

Parks inventory data collected in 2006 and a city street tree inventory, once completed, will provide accurate CO2 storage numbers. Satellite data and modeling software will provide baseline data of CO2 storage and other pollutant baseline data that will serve as our guide to priortize planting locations and tracking of the City's tree canopy. 

Maintaining Healthy Urban Forests and Street Trees

The addition of an urban forestry program will increase the level of support to other city departments, business, and property owners.

• Education and coordination of the tree and lanscape industry and home owners will work towards increasing the level of professionalism and services provided to the people of Albuquerque.
• Changes in policy, increased focus on street trees and privately owned trees will change the quality and quantity of our urban forest and the services provided.
• Tracking of new programs, events, and changes will be evaluated for the benefits provided such as energy savings, property value, and pedestrian safety.

Restoring Native Habitats and Forests

The Open Space Division restores native habitat and forest fire fuel load reduction on over 4000 acres of our Bosque.

• They average 120 acres of fuel load reduction annually since FY05 reducing the chance of catastrophic fire while adding to the health and growth of our cottonwood forest along the Rio Grande.
• The average Habitat restoration reduces invasive and exotic species also working towards a healthier and growing forest.
• They average 200 acres annually of habitat restoration. 

Trees Clean the Air

Trees are one of the best and most cost-effective ways to reduce extra carbon in the Earth's atmosphere. Here's how it works:

1. Trees "breathe in" carbon dioxide during photosynthesis.
2. Trees "breathe out" oxygen into the air which keeps us alive and healthy.
3. Trees store the extra carbon in their trunks, leaves, and roots.

Planting trees and taking care of them can help Albuquerque become a "carbon neutral" city. That's a good thing for generations to come.

Trees Improve Our Quality of Life

Albuquerque's trees provide shade in our parks and homes, but they also increase our quality of life.

Trees help:

• Reduce and clean storm water run-off
• Stabilize soil
• Reduce dust in the air
• Reduce temperatures which decreases the heat-island effect
• Absorb carbon dioxide and other air pollutants
• Reduce energy costs for your home or business
• Increase property values

Read a full report conducted by the Center for Urban Forest Research (PDF) on how trees improve the quality of life in Albuquerque.

Get Started: Plant a Tree at Home!

• How to pick the right tree for Albuquerque
• How to maintain & prune trees

Learn More

• Trees are the green infrastructure of a city
• Trees are the pollution solution
• What is the heat island effect?
• About urban forestry and urban greening
• Calculate how much carbon dioxide your trees absorb