July 23, 2026
Every time we feel the comfort of shade under the branches of a tree and every moment that we feel part of nature when spending time at the park, we can be grateful for urban forests. Trees and forests in our communities make the difference that we can see, feel, and share. PLT teamed up with the Plants and Climate Change Education (PLACCE) peer learning group and the American Public Gardens Association’s (APGA) Education Community to share how urban forests make our cities livable and how we can help cities adapt to climate risks.
This past Earth Day, PLT partnered with the Plants and Climate Change Education (PLACCE) peer learning group and the American Public Gardens Association’s Education Community to host a conversation about urban forestry in climate education. PLACCE, a partnership between the United States Botanic Garden and APGA unites botanic garden and arboretum education professionals to explore the connections between plants and climate change education.
Plant-centered education and PLT using trees and forests as windows on the world
Together, with public garden educators from across the United States, we explored how we can grow awareness of the natural world and cultivate knowledge about trees to address the challenges of urban life with responsible action. Growing future forest and conservation leaders is what PLT is all about!
Public gardens are where science, practice, and purpose meet. These institutions exist to connect humans to nature through research, education, conservation, and engagement. Most of all, public gardens show people what’s possible when we make space for nature in our cities and when we care for the plants around us. Tree planting is part of a wide range of actions that help humans adapt to climate risks.
Urban forestry as tangible climate action
Urban forestry is planning for, planting, caring for, and managing trees and green spaces close to people. We preserve and create green spaces in urban environments so the majority of our population can see, feel, and experience nature close to where they live. Contact with nature in cities improves our well-being in so many ways.
When we intentionally select trees and introduce them to urban areas with proper care, we contribute to spaces that help us adapt to climate risks like extreme heat and rainfall. Actions like preserving our largest, healthiest trees, and choosing new tree species that can handle heat, drought, and pests make our cities resilient to natural disturbances. Designing urban space in coexistence with trees can even help reduce the need for air conditioning.
To set communities up for success, we need to understand how trees grow and develop, how urban conditions challenge tree growth, and what we can do about it.
Education leads to informed decisions with long-term impact
At PLT, we offer a suite of activities across a lifetime of learning to show people how to think about and care for the trees in our communities. With Trillions of Trees, children from grade 3 to 5, learn how to identify tree species and how to work to together to plan, plant, and care for community trees. This activity can be brought into the classroom or taken outside into public gardens.
PLT’s Forest Literacy Framework is a guide that educators can use to teach what forests are, why forests matter, how to sustain forests, and how we share a collective responsibility to treat forests with respect. This resource explains how sustainable forestry promotes public health and livable communities while addressing climate change.
For a more interactive format, anyone can access Texas A&M’s e-course Forest Literacy: Understanding the Values of Trees, Forests, and Sustainability. By increasing everyone’s understanding of forests, we can empower people to take positive action and even discover green jobs.
Speaking of careers, PLT’s Green Jobs Guide supports young people in exploring pathways in forestry and conservation, from rural to urban settings. This resource helps educators plant seeds for students to see purpose-driven career possibilities.
How we cultivate thriving communities together
Members of the PLACCE cohort recognized how urban forestry relates to their work and are exploring climate-adapted species selection, resilient site design, applying best practices to care for their collections, and most of all, they’re engaging their communities about the difference that plants make. We discussed how gardens are leveraging citizen science to observe and report on how plants are changing with hotter seasons.
Trees Atlanta shared that they used PLT’s Teaching with i-Tree guide to identify and track the ecosystem services that Atlanta’s urban forestry provides for residents. This not only makes urban forestry visible, but the benefits become tangible.
As public gardens and arboreta look ahead to reaching their community about plants and climate change, we encourage them to pursue PLT professional development workshops and to connect with their PLT State Coordinator for additional support.
For over 50 years, PLT has been cultivating generations of environmental problem-solvers and stewards. By partnering with public garden professionals to demonstrate the difference that sustainably managed urban forests make, PLT is helping educators lead their communities toward more resilient, livable, and connected cities—one tree at a time!
Meg Hanna and Jackie Stallard
Project Learning Tree
May 20, 2026
