Baltimore has 2.8 million trees.
Baltimore City takes great care of its trees, ensuring they are healthy and safe. The Forestry Division plants new trees, prunes old ones, and clears trees after storms. They also work with volunteers through the TreeBaltimore program to plant thousands of new trees every year. If we lost all our trees, it would cost us $3.4 BILLION to replace them. This does not take into account the services our trees provide, such as cleaning our air and water, improving our health, and increasing our property values.
Here’s what the Forestry Division does:
- Cares for over 125,000 trees in parks and streets.
- Plants 8,000 new trees yearly with volunteers.
- Prune trees to keep streets and parks safe.
- Helps create a greener Baltimore for everyone.
Tree Species of Baltimore
Many different tree species grow throughout Baltimore, including maple, oak, dogwood, and Linden trees. You must choose the right tree and location to get the most from your tree.
- Explore our TreeBaltimore page where we highlight programs that will benefit the community
- Street Tree Species List
The Tree Benefit Calculator is an easy tool that shows how much good a street tree does. Just type in where the tree is, what kind it is, and how big it is. The tool, called STRATUM, will then tell you how much the tree helps the environment and how much money those benefits are worth each year.
Contacting 311 Services
Baltimore City residents can call 311 to report non-emergency problems and ask for help. 311 connects you with the right city department to fix the issue and keep your neighborhood safe and clean.
You can call 311 for things like:
A tree or big tree branch blocking the street, sidewalk, or another public space.
Broken branches that could hurt someone or trees damaged by a storm.
To ask the city to check on a tree that might be sick or unsafe.
Places to Plant Trees
1. Homes:
Many people in Baltimore live in rowhouses or single-family homes. These homes often have front and backyards, which are great spots to plant trees. Trees can help lower your electric bill and even make your house worth more!
2. Empty Lots:
There are lots of empty spaces in Baltimore. Some neighborhoods turn these into pretty gardens. Planting trees in these spaces shows people care and helps the area look nicer.
3. New Buildings:
When new buildings go up, planting trees around them helps the environment. Trees stop water from rushing away, keep soil in place, and keep bad stuff out of rivers and streams.
4. Apartments:
Even if you rent, you can still help plant and care for trees. When renters show interest, landlords may agree to plant more trees. The City also gives free or low-cost trees to plant.
5. Parks:
Baltimore has lots of parks—over 6,000 acres! Volunteers and neighbors help plant trees and take care of them. They also remove harmful vines that hurt trees.
6. Streets:
Baltimore has about 100,000 trees along its streets. These trees help slow down traffic, lower noise, and clean the air. They save the city millions of dollars every year!
7. Parking Lots:
Most parking lots are made of pavement, but some are made to be better for the earth. These “green” lots let rain soak in and help clean it before it reaches the Bay. Tree-filled medians in parking lots are great too!
8. Shopping Areas:
Trees make business areas look nicer. People like shopping and walking where there are trees. Trees can be planted along sidewalks, on rooftops, or in grassy spots.
9. Hospitals:
Trees around hospitals and clinics help people feel better and recover faster. They make the area peaceful, pretty, and healthier.
10. Schools:
Baltimore has over 200 schools, many with big yards. These are perfect places for trees! Schools can also turn unused pavement into green areas with trees and gardens.
11. Churches & Faith Places:
Churches and other places of worship own a lot of land. They can plant trees to make their spaces calm, green, and peaceful for everyone.
12. Factory Areas:
Even industrial places have space for trees. Trees clean the air and water. They can be planted in open spaces or where pavement is taken out.
13. Colleges:
Colleges in Baltimore own a lot of land. They can plant trees to cool the city and make their campuses greener and more beautiful.
14. Libraries:
Public libraries and museums often have open space around them. Big trees like oaks and maples or smaller ones like redbuds can add beauty and shade to these places.
Yard Tree Adaption Program
FREE Tree Giveaways: Each spring and fall, TreeBaltimore offers residents FREE 1 gallon trees for their homes and businesses. We host giveaways at farmer’s markets, in parks and at local events. For an up-to-date listing of event, see our calendar of events. Or, if you’d like to give-away trees at your event, please contact us.
Forestry Frequent Asked Question (FAQ)
Forestry-related topics come in almost as many forms as trees. That's why BCRP Forestry provides Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) and answers. These questions come from citizens like you. We hope that you find them helpful and informative.
Visit Forestry FAQ Page| Title | Size |
|---|---|
| Street Tree Species List | 590.73 KB |
| Street Tree Planting Request Form | 141.34 KB |
Contact Us
City Arborist :
Matt Rescott
410-396-6109
TreeBaltimore Website
Email:
Please let us know if you encounter any problems or have suggestions. Feel free to email us your comments or questions.
Mailing Address
2600 Madison Ave. Baltimore, MD 21217