City Forest Certification

The City Forest Certification is Trees Atlanta’s newest community action program. This hands on program is designed to guide and empower everyday people with practical knowledge and skills. Neighbor by neighbor and property by property, we can grow and connect a network of forests big and small.

Progress at Your Own Pace

1. Enroll to schedule a site evaluation
2. Verify property type and explore the four City Forest Certification categories
3. Set your plan of action
4. Collect “acorns” for reaching goals
5. Earn the first level of certification with 16 acorns
6. Keep going with additional Stewardship Tracks (optional)

City Forest Certification Goals

To collect 16 acorns for certification, choose among a range of goals for your property. There are 37 goals grouped into four categories, at least one goal in each category must be achieved.

• Trees & The Environment: These goals are grouped to address environmental problems and ecosystem services centered around trees. Most of these goals relate to water, energy and waste reduction.

• Trees & People: These goals are grouped to address community and social issues centered around trees. Most of these goals relate to volunteering, community, and education involving the certificate program.

• Trees & Plants: These goals are grouped to address forests, trees and native plant protection. Most of these goals relate to planting, land management, and tree-friendly practices.

• Trees & Animals: These goals are grouped to address city wildlife. Most of these goals relate to creating wildlife-friendly habitats and practices.

Join the Forest

Residential, community, or commercial properties within the metro-Atlanta counties of Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, and Fulton can participate. Apartments, multiunit complexes, and properties with no yards can participate (certification signs can be attached to apartment doors).

Chose your property type to review your Acorn options.

• Residential: Single-family home, townhome, apartment, condo, tiny home, or any other type of residential housing.
• Community: Apartment complexes, places of worship, community centers, libraries, government buildings, schools, arts organizations, community gardens, private parks, small businesses, restaurants, corporate offices, and regional offices, etc.
• Large Property: Properties 4 acres or more, allows for evaluating large properties that support trees at scale.
• No Yard: Can be completed by those who rent and those without any personal outdoor space to work in.

Want to Go Above and Beyond?

Trees Atlanta has partnered with eight other local conservation organizations to create custom “dual certification” Stewardship Tracks. Dual certification require properties to collect more acorns beyond the standard 16. This is ideal for participants who have a special interest in supporting trees and one other component of our urban forest.

Chose a Stewardship Track to review your Acorn options.

These stewardship tracks are supported in partnership with:

• Amphibian Stewardship – Amphibian Foundation
• Bat Stewardship – Georgia Bat Working Group
• Bird Stewardship – Georgia Audubon
• Climate Stewardship – Climate Reality Now Atlanta Chapter
• Firefly Stewardship – Atlanta Firefly Project
• Food Stewardship – Food Well Alliance
• Pollinator Stewardship – Great Georgia Pollinator Census
• Water Stewardship – Atlanta Creek League

The benefits of trees are scientifically proven and abundant. They clean the air, cool down heat, improve our physical and mental health, and create habitats and food for other plants and animals. Together, we can create a pathway for your property to maximize these positive impacts. Let’s get started!

Questions? Email: cityforestcertified@treesatlanta.org