GHG-02: Expand the Urban Forest
Measure Description
In Progress
With this measure, the County aims to enhance carbon storage potential by preserving and improving urban forests while enhancing green spaces, promoting biodiversity, and improving environmental sustainability. The measure also aims to improve the quality of life for county residents while prioritizing actions Environmental Justice Communities as defined in the County’s Environmental Justice Element of the General Plan.
Implementation Status
Updated 08/24/2026
Developing an Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP) to increase and maintain the urban forest is a key priority for the County’s Planning and Environmental Review Division (PER). As currently envisioned, the first phase of the UFMP would cover the South Sacramento environmental justice (EJ) community to align with the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District’s Community Emission Reduction Program (CERP) before potentially expanding to three more EJ communities (West Arden-Arcade, North Vineyard, and North Highlands) and finally the entire Urban Service Boundary. The UFMP will be informed by One Heat: Heat Resiliency Solutions for the Sacramento Region (the One Heat report) and the County’s tree canopy assessment. The One Heat report—developed in partnership with the City of Sacramento and the Urban Land Institute (ULI)—identifies strategies to strengthen resilience to extreme heat and highlights the critical role of expanding urban tree canopy and shade. Additionally, the County's geographic information system (GIS) analysis of tree canopy coverage across the unincorporated area will help identify neighborhoods most vulnerable to climate impacts. Together, these insights are expected to guide development of the UFMP and provide a data‑driven approach for expanding shade, reducing heat exposure, and supporting long‑term community resilience. The final scope, sequencing, and timing of future phases will continue to be evaluated as the planning process evolves subject to available funding, staffing resources, and future budget priorities.
As planning for the UFMP progresses, the County anticipates conducting robust public and stakeholder outreach to help inform priorities, identify community needs, and refine implementation strategies.
The current County zoning code section 5.2.4.F requires 50% of parking lots to be shaded by tree canopy within 15 years of securing a building permit, as recommended by CAP action GHG-02-c. PER is currently assessing the zoning code and the additional GHG-02-c recommendation of 20% canopy cover over the remainder of the site to understand if the coverage percentages are feasible. Any potential amendments to County standards would be subject to additional technical analysis, public outreach, environmental review, available resources, and future decision-making by the County.
The County also promotes the SMUD free shade tree program through its website and at public events such as Earth Day.
Regional Parks continues to apply for grants that promote tree planting. Grant funding opportunities will continue to be evaluated as available to support implementation of urban forestry initiatives. Several PER staff are certified arborists and support the ongoing planning and implementation efforts of this measure.
Actions
Action GHG-02-a
Action Description: Develop and adopt an Urban Forest Management Plan to increase and maintain the urban forest, which includes:
- the identification of potential tree planting sites to meet goals of 15,000 net new trees by 2030 and 62,000 net new trees by 2045, highlighting priority areas in Environmental Justice Communities;
- street and park tree preservation;
- tree species and design guidelines, prioritizing native trees; and
- watering and maintenance practices.
Action GHG-02-b
Action Description: Develop and annually update an urban forest work plan to identify a budget and specific tree planting and maintenance projects for implementation each year consistent with the goals and targets of the Urban Forest Management Plan.
Action GHG-02-c
Action Description: Adopt an ordinance to require new development to plant an appropriate number of trees onsite to provide a 50 percent canopy cover over parking surfaces and a 20 percent canopy cover over the remainder of the site. Exemptions to the ordinance may be provided in cases where tree canopy may conflict with solar photovoltaic (PV) system siting on the development site, or with the Solar Shade Control Act.
Action GHG-02-d
Action Description: Amend the Tree Preservation Ordinance to require that
- applicable tree removals during discretionary projects on private property that require a tree permit be replaced by an appropriate size and species tree as determined by Planning and Environmental Review, and
- where onsite replacement of an appropriate tree is not feasible, the permit applicant shall pay a fee equivalent to the County's cost for planting and maintaining each appropriate tree to the Tree Preservation Fund.
Also, amend the ordinance to expand the tree types for which the ordinance is applicable to include:
- any tree native to Sacramento County; and
- "heritage trees" that are 50 years or older or have a connection to a historical event, building, district, or person.
Action GHG-02-e
Action Description: Continue to partner with the Sacramento Tree Foundation to use existing programs such as Sacramento Shade, NeighborWoods, and NATURE to increase the tree canopy through offering free tree planting on private property, prioritizing drought-tolerant species in Environmental Justice Communities.
Action GHG-02-f
Action Description: Identify and partner with community cooperatives, and Sacramento Tree Foundation, to organize at least three tree-planting and maintenance events each year in different census designated places in the unincorporated county, to highlight and realize the community benefits of urban trees.
Action GHG-02-g
Action Description: Inform county residents and businesses of the availability of free trees, from partnerships with Sacramento Tree Foundation, by including information on accessing the program on the County's website and through semi-annual newsletters, social media posts, or mailers.
Action GHG-02-h
Action Description: Conduct a targeted outreach campaign to promote the availability of free trees, from partnerships with Sacramento Tree Foundation, in Environmental Justice Communities that may include multilingual printed outreach materials and promotion at community events.
Action GHG-02-i
Action Description: Identify appropriate community-based organizations, and jointly submit applications for grant funding for urban forest expansion in underserved communities through the US Forest Service’s Urban and Community Forestry Grant Program.
Action GHG-02-j
Action Description: Develop a tracking system to ensure that the number of trees planted through County efforts is trackable, through internal County departments, the County's permitting system, and annual data requests from partner organizations on the number of trees planted, and removed, in the unincorporated county.
Objectives
Maintain and enhance the urban forest, planting 15,000 net new trees by 2030 and 62,000 net new trees by 2045.