RESOURCES Click Links to Learn More

Basic Tree/Landscaping Info

Find out how to plant a tree here.

Click here for great information from International Society of Arboriculture including the benefits of trees, choosing the right tree, planting trees, pruning and other general tree care.

Protect and retain trees during construction projects, learn more here.

Support wildlife by adding native plants to your landscape, learn more here.

Find the right tree for your landscape conditions using the NC Plant Toolbox. Use this link for easy access. Growing zone, location and plant type are already checked and invasive trees have been omitted. Add your landscape cultural conditions and your plant requirements to narrow the search.

Trees and Utilities

Plant the right tree in the right place to reduce future issues with utility providers. Find a nice graphic summary from the NC Urban Forest Council here.

More detailed information for homeowners about planting trees and shrubs near overhead power lines can be found in the the Utility Tree Manual. It's a printable pdf from the NC Urban Forest Council.

Tree Canopy Info

Click here to view Union County’s GIS story map about the County's tree canopy cover (land cover/land use) data and a summary of some of the findings.

This link gives you access to Union County’s web-based GIS viewer for the tree canopy data. https://pg-cloud.com/UnionCountyNC/

Watch this YouTube video for a tutorial on basic instructions. Note the highlight of the ‘census bureau tracts’ – if you click that pull down menu and select subdivisions, you can view each subdivision in Union County’s tree canopy coverage and space available for tree planting.

Find ESRI’s web-based GIS viewer of urban heat island severity here. Click the link, then click on ‘Open Map in Viewer’. Use the mouse wheel to zoom in on Union County to see urban heat island hot spots.

Info for Municipalities

The Green Growth Toolbox is “a guide to provide North Carolina’s counties, towns, and cities with tools for growth that conserves wildlife and natural resources.” Click here for direct link to the handbook.

Two pertinent books about green infrastructure are available for download.

Evaluating and Conserving Green Infrastructure Across the Landscape

Forest Connectivity in the Developing Landscape

Find information from NCSU Extension Service about developing successful tree ordinances here.

Organizational Resource Lists

Find a list of Urban Forestry resources and specifications here.

Find a list of resources from NCSU Extension Forestry Urban and Community Forestry program here.