WASHINGTON, DC—Secretary Vilsack has appointed new members to the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council. Under direction from Congress, the council oversees the Forest Service’s National Urban and Community Forestry Program and provides urban natural resource recommendations to the secretary of Agriculture and other applicable federal agencies.

Since 1990, the council, which is made up of professional, academic, citizen and governmental volunteers, has served the American people through growing and managing our urban and community forests to improve the health and well-being of local communities.

As part of its responsibilities, the council developed the National Ten-Year Urban and Community Forestry Action Plan (2016-2026) in conjunction with the public as a guidance document for the Forest Service’s Urban and Community Forestry Program, state urban forestry programs, and partners.

The council also develops grant categories for the Urban and Community Forestry grant program, which are derived from the action plan’s seven goals, and recommends which grant proposals the Forest Service should considered for funding.

The following are the newly appointed members.

• National Non-Profit Forestry and Conservation Citizen Organization
  • Karen E. Firehock, Green Infrastructure Center 
  • David Armijo, Hispanic Access, Youth and Natural Resource Conservation
• State Government
  • Asia L. Dowtin, Ph.D., Michigan State University, State DNR
• County Government
  • Leslie Wollack, National Association of Regional Councils, Counties/Cities
• City/Town Government
  • Casey Jogerst, city of Portland, Oregon, urban forester
• Forest Products, Nursery, or Related Industries
  • Trinity Pierce, Morton Arboretum stewardship/outreach manager
• Urban Forestry, Landscape, and Design Consultants 
  • Dr. Vivek Shandas, environmental consultant, CAPA Strategies, urban forests for public health and social justice
• Academic Institutions with an Expertise in Urban and Community Forestry activities
  • Dr. Eli S. Suzukovich III, Northwestern University, Environmental Policy and Culture, Phenomenology of Urban Forests
  • Dr. Zhu Ning, Southern University, Urban Forestry, Environment, and Natural Resources
• State Forestry Agency
  • Earl Eutsler, state forester, District of Columbia
• Professional Renewable Natural Resource or Arboriculture Society
  • Paul Johnson, Sustainable Forestry Initiative, Urban and Community Forestry/Career Pathways
• USDA Extension Service 
  • Dr. Beau Brodbeck, Auburn University Cooperative Extension, Forestry, Wildlife and Environment
• USDA Forest Service—permanent assignment for this Forest Service position
  • John Crockett, Washington Office, associate deputy chief, State, Private and Tribal Forestry
• Not officers or employees of any government body with a population of less than 50,000 and has experience and has been active in urban and community forestry 
  • Denise Michelle Cole, Auburn, Alabama, natural resources and urban forestry
• Not officers or employees of any government body with a population of greater than 50,000. Experience/active in urban and community forestry
  • Council Chair: Lisa Ortega, Nevada Plants, Nevada

The members will continue implementing the current action plan and initiate development of the next action plan (2027-2037).