TreesCharlotte and City of Charlotte Partner to Protect Urban Forest

Published on May 05, 2026

Two women plant a young tree in place of a recently-removed tree.

Trees play a vital role in our health and well-being. They cool our neighborhoods, clean the air we breathe, reduce stormwater runoff, and make our communities more livable. While planting new trees is essential, caring for the trees we already have is just as important. And sometimes that care means removing a tree that has reached the end of its life.

Recently, collaboration between TreesCharlotte and the City of Charlotte’s Community Tree Canopy Preservation Division (CTCP) showed how strong partnerships can protect both residents and our urban forest.

In the Historic Hoskins neighborhood, one of TreesCharlotte’s Treesilience communities, a homeowner applied for assistance through the program’s Mature Canopy Care service. Treesilience is a holistic, multi-year initiative advancing tree equity by protecting and expanding canopy in Charlotte’s under-canopied and underserved neighborhoods so all residents can experience the benefits of trees.

TreesCharlotte brought in arborist Mark Livingston of Livingston Tree Care to assess a massive oak tree on the property. The tree, measuring in at over 40+ dbh, had lost a major leader during a storm. After a closer inspection, it was determined that the tree was in decline, diseased, and now damaged, posed a risk to both the homeowner and a neighboring property.

Removing a tree of that size is complex and costly. The estimated removal cost was $25,000, far beyond the Treesilience program’s available budget.

Because TreesCharlotte partners closely with the City of Charlotte through CTCP, the team reached out to explore options. CTCP’s Tree Canopy Program administers the Canopy Care Tree Assistance Program, which helps qualifying residents address canopy health on their private property.

Working together, the two organizations were able to guide the resident through the application process and share the cost of the removal, ensuring the tree was safely taken down.

Following the removal, TreesCharlotte returned to the property and planted two new trees, helping restore the canopy and support the next generation of Charlotte’s urban forest.

This project is a great example of how local government and nonprofit organizations can work together to protect residents while continuing to grow Charlotte’s tree canopy.