Help needed Now! WA State House budget bill would eliminate DNR’s Urban and Community Forestry program!

Dear Friends,

The proposed 2025-2027 fiscal biennium supplemental operating appropriations budget passed last week by the Washington State House Appropriation Committee to House Rules will wipe out the Washington State Department of Natural Resources Urban and Community Forestry Program. We need your help now to save this program by contacting your legislators with e-mails and/or phone calls urging they not shut down this important state program.

The following DNR funding line item as shown is proposed to be deleted in SHB 2289 which is the WA State House version of the state’s Supplemental Operating budget for the next year.

“(1) $3,000,000 of the natural climate solutions account—state appropriation is provided solely for investment in urban forestry to support reduction of negative environmental conditions such as heat, flooding, and pollution and helping communities become greener, cleaner, healthier, and more resilient.)).”

DNR last week in a briefing memo stated that the proposed reduction “eliminates all state funding for DNR’s Urban and Community Forestry Program for Fiscal Year 2027, and ongoing.”

They add that “This reduction not only eliminates state funding for the program directly impacting both staff and delivery of services to communities, but would automatically endanger millions in potential federal grant funding as it makes Washington ineligible for several grant programs currently administered by the program.” All funding would end on July 1 of this year when the new state budget takes effect.

Please let your state legislators know you support continuation of the Urban and Community Forestry Program in the Department of Natural Resources. Urban trees are important in reducing harmful heat island impacts, reducing stormwater runoff, and air pollution. They help create healthy communities for humans and our environment.

The Urban and Community Forest Program helps cities counties and tribes assess tree canopy and inventory urban forests, assist in developing tree ordinances, urban forestry management plans and assessing the needs and health impacts for sustaining urban and community forests.

Here is the link to contact your state Legislators and tell them to continue funding DNR’s urban and community forest program!

https://app.leg.wa.gov/districtfinder /
You can send them an e-mail or call them and leave a message.

Additional information:
“Existential Budget Cut Would Wipe Out State Urban Forestry Program”, Ryan Packer, The Urbanist, Feb. 27, 2026
“Urban Tree Funding axed in WA House budget proposal“, Aspen Ford, Washington State Standard and the Spokesman-Review, Feb 27, 2026.
“Uncertain Future for Washington’s state’s urban forests“, Bellamy Pailthorp, KNKX, Feb. 28, 2026

Thanks for your help.

Steve Zemke – Chair Friends of Seattle’s Urban Forest
stevezemke@Friends.UrbanForests.org

www.friends.urbanforests.org
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DonateThank you for supporting our urban forests! Donations to TreePAC via the donate button above via this e-mail will go directly to support the efforts of Friends of Seattle’s Urban Forest.