Lethbridge is home to an interesting and diverse urban forest. As a city in the heart of the prairies, most trees are actually not native to our area, but through education, care and dedicated management, we have an urban forest we are very proud of.
Lethbridge is home to over 30,000 trees, with the majority elm, ash and conifer species. The river valley is home to our only native tree species, the cottonwood, and is the only place in the world where three species of cottonwood converge and hybridize, making our river valley forest one of a kind.
What is the Urban Forest Management Plan?
The Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP) is currently in development and will outline best practices, procedures and programs to effectively care for and manage the health of all Lethbridge's public trees and their growing environments. This includes all boulevard and park trees as well as trees located in utility right of ways and in natural areas like the river valley.
The urban forest is a vital asset of our city which provides a wide range of important environmental, social and economic services. There are a number of challenges and threats to the health and sustainability of the urban forest, such as pests and disease, challenging growing conditions and conflicts with other infrastructure.
The UFMP will consider the current health and state of the urban forest, current management practices, local land uses and best practices in comparable cities and environments to present strategies to address the challenges of managing urban trees. 
Other Forestry Links
European Elm Scale
Fruit Tree Map
