New to tree care? Start here:
Common Questions and Solutions
Resources by Tree Topic
Benefits of Trees
Readings
Energy conservation planting strategies - Tree Care (MNDNR)
Get Your Daily Dose of Trees (MNDNR poster)
Midwest community tree guide: benefits, costs, and strategic tree planting (USFS)
We All Need Trees (MNDNR poster)
Websites
Green Cities: Good Health (University of WA)
Health Benefits of Trees (MNDNR)
The Benefits of Trees (Canopy.org)
The Power of Trees (Arbor Day Foundation)
Videos
Benefits of Trees: Economic, Environmental, Health & Social (Davey)
The Value of Trees (SustainableSM)
Treecycle America: Certified Urban Forestry (Damon Barron)
Selection
When deciding which trees to plant and using "recommended" lists, remember to consider that advice changes. Be sure to consider factors like:
- Publication date of the information,
- Your site location in relation to the guidance, and
- Up-to-date invasive species and noxious weeds lists.
Guides & Planning
A Beginner's Guide to Minnesota Trees
Planting & Growing Guides (UMN Extension)
Woodlands of Minnesota Landowner Handbook (MNDNR)
Tree Selection
Climate Change Vulnerability of Urban Trees: Twin Cities (NIACS)
Native Trees & Shrubs for Pollinators (Heather Holm)
Native Trees of Minnesota (MNDNR)
Plant Finder (MO Botanical Garden)(Make sure to cross-reference options with Minnesota's climate and conditions.)
Plant Selector (MNDOT) (These lists may include invasive species and/or noxious weeds for MN. Eliminate those options.)
Pollinator Planting Resources (UMN)
Rewilding & recommended trees lists (search posts for your area) (UMN Extension)
Tough Trees & Shrubs for Tough Sites (UFOR)
Tree & Shrub Selection and Maintenance (UMN Extension)
Tree Selection & Care (UMN Extension)
Tree Species Projections for Ecological Sections in Minnesota (NIACS)
Food-specific Resources
General
Eating with the Seasons, Anishinaabeg, Great Lakes Region (Derek Nicholas)
Gathering wild-grown plants and fungi (UMN Extension)
How to forage for mushrooms, berries and more in Minnesota (MNDNR)
Integrated Pest Management Tools for Crop Production (NEWA)
Minnesota Harvester Handbook (UMN Extension)
Planting a community food forest (UMN Extension)
Fruit
Cold Climate Fruit Webinar Series (UMN Extension)
Growing and Eating Fruits from Trees and Shrubs in Minnesota (PDF)
Windbreak Cookbook Featuring Fruits of Prairie Forests (NDSU)
Maple Syrup
Minnesota Maple Syrup Producers Association
North American Maple Syrup Producers Manual, 3rd Ed.
Mushrooms
Harvesting morel mushrooms (UMN Extension)
Nuts & Seeds
Cone and seed collection (MNDNR)
Upper Midwest Hazelnut Development Initiative
Tree Troubles - Abiotic (damage from storms, construction, salt, etc.)
Tree Troubles - Biotic (pests, pathogens, etc.)
Bronze Birch Borer and Twolined Chestnut Borer
Dothistroma Needle Blight (PDF)
Emerald Ash Borer: Guide to Insecticide Selection, Use, and Environment Protection (MDA) (PDF)
Emerald Ash Borer in Minnesota: 2019 Minnesota State Agency Report
Oak Wilt vs. Twolined Chestnut Borer Damage (PDF)
Rhizosphaera Needle Cast (PDF)
Other
Tree Troubles - "Weeds" and Invasive Plants
Grants & Funding
Contacts & Organizations
Certified Tree Inspector Program
Contact a MN Master Naturalist
Contacts for managing a farm (UMN Extension)
Find a Professional Arborist with ISA
Forest History Center (MN Historical Society)
History of Forestry in Minnesota (DNR)
Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR)
Legislature - Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy
Minnesota Forest Resources Council
Minnesota Forestry Association
Minnesota State Horticultural Society
Minnesota Tree Care Advisors Map
MN Shade Tree Advisory Committee (MnSTAC)
Sustainable Forests Education Cooperative
News, Newsletters, & Research Resources
Forest Service Research & Development (USFS)
Fruit and Vegetable News (UMN Extension)
International Society of Arboriculture News
Minnesota Forestry Association
MN Shade Tree Advisory Committee
Minnesota Tree Care Advocate Quarterly Newsletter
My Minnesota Woods (UMN Extension)
National Forest Service Library (USFS)
National Research and Development Monthly Newsletter (USFS)
Additional Resources
Fire
Fire Danger & Burning Restrictions (statewide)
Forest Health
Habitat Assessment Tool (Maine Audubon)
IUCN Red List Threat Assessments for Priority Tree Species
Urban Tree Canopy Assessment Toolkit
Other
Cone and seed collection (MNDNR)
Natural Resources (UMN Extension)
Expanded Ecological Topics
Climate and Weather
Adaptive Silviculture for Climate Change (ASCC)
Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters (NOAA)
Biomes of Minnesota (UMN Extension)
Climate & Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEQ)
Climate & Health Action Guide (Vibrant Cities Lab)
Climate Change & Minnesota (MNDNR)
Climate Change Field Guide for Northern Minnesota Forests (UMN)
Climate Change Pressure in the 21st Century (USFS)
Climate Change Projections for Tree Species in the Northwoods (MN, WI, MI)
Climate Change Resource Center (USFS)
Climate Change Response Framework
Climate Change Tree Atlas (USFS)
Climate Change Vulnerability of Urban Trees: Twin Cities (NIACS)
Climate Modeling: An Introductory Primer for Practitioners (UMN)
Climate Projection Data for Minnesota (UMN)
Developing Community-Based Climate Communicators (MCAP)
Economic Benefits of Natural Climate Solutions in Minnesota (Nature Conservancy)
Environmental Resilience Institute (Indiana University)
Fields to Streams: Managing Water in Rural Landscapes
Forest Carbon & Climate Program: Images & Graphics (MSU)
Forest Carbon and Climate Program: Webinars (MSU)
Fourth National Climate Assessment - Chapter 21: Midwest
Minnesota Climate Change Subcabinet
Minnesota Climate Trends (interactive map)
Minnesota State Climatology Office (MNDNR)
Nature and Climate Solutions for Minnesota (Nature Conservancy)
Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science (NIACS)
Our Minnesota Climate (MN.gov)
Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI)
Trees. Water. Soil. Natural Climate Solutions for Our Economy & Environment (The Nature Conservancy)
University of Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnership (MCAP)
Cultural and Societal Integrations
Environmental Justice
Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEQ)
Environmental Justice (MPCA map)
Papers
Potentially Problematic Common Names in North American Public Gardens. Plant Nomenclature & Taxonomy Community of the American Public Gardens Association 2021, and Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries 2021. December 2021.
Culture
Women on the Land: A Landowner's Guide to Stewarding her Woodlands
Papers
Ecological Importance of Native Americans Culture to the Kentucky Coffee Tree (Gymnocladus dioicus). Andrew R. VanAtta. April 2009.
UFOR YouTube Channel
The new and improved UFOR YouTube channel features a variety of videos dedicated to all things urban and community forestry. Here you can learn how to plant, care for, and prune trees, as well as some fun facts about trees and some deep dives into more complex topics.