Decades ago, some streets in Lincoln were planted with lines of new ash trees. Now, professionals like foresters and arborists recognize the need to diversify tree selection to protect from species-specific diseases or pests like the emerald ash borer.
This is just one example of guidance Nebraska towns receive from University of Nebraska–Lincoln experts to create more robust community forests.
“Now, that whole street of trees is getting removed at once because they’re getting infected,” said Hanna Pinneo, executive director of PlantNebraska, formerly the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum. “All of a sudden, people walk out their front door or out of their business or their school, and it’s a stark reminder of what they were benefiting from.”
Various University of Nebraska–Lincoln agencies collaborate with Nebraska communities to combat tree loss. From planning to planting to care, they are helping towns grow a better, healthier future together through better care of trees.
“Our roads need maintenance, our sidewalks need maintenance, our trees need maintenance,” Pinneo said. “For a long time, we’ve taken trees for granted … We need to look at trees like we look at any other infrastructure. They’re vital to our communities; they should be managed the same way.”
Nebraska leads the country in community tree canopy loss, a phenomenon largely caused by aging trees, drought, severe weather and disease. Organizations like the Nebraska Forest Service, PlantNebraska and the School of Natural Resources are approaching the issue from many directions: education and workforce development, planning and data, and grant funding for planting and removal projects.
“Our trees were, thankfully, planted by somebody who cared, but they’re aging out,” said Christina Hoyt, assistant forester and bureau chief for community landscape and forest health. “We have more limited tree species makeup in a lot of our communities.”
The community canopy refers to trees planted along streets, in parks and on other public lands. These trees help manage stormwater, erosion and air pollution, provide shade and physical and mental health benefits for people, and even have economic benefits by making business districts more attractive.
“Especially as we see whole streets of trees disappear, you’re going to see your community change, and maybe not in a way you want to see it change,” Pinneo said.
There is an urgency to start planting trees as soon as possible, but Hoyt said it is also crucial to do this correctly. Towns must plant the right species in the right place to maximize benefits and get the most longevity from the trees.
“We can make sure we’re planting trees behind them so we have the next generation there for the future,” Hoyt said. “There’s probably not enough tree planting happening for the scale of loss we’re seeing … We need to get those trees back in place so they can start to provide those benefits. Some of those benefits are going to be realized the day they’re planted, and other benefits decades later.”
Grant money from the Inflation Reduction Act — about $10 million to PlantNebraska and $1.7 million to the Nebraska Forest Service — and programs like Trees for Nebraska Towns through PlantNebraska have supported projects across the state. Some projects are more practical, like planting or removal of dead or diseased trees and replanting. Trees for Nebraska Towns facilitated the planting of about 1,000 trees across the state in October 2025 alone. Others might involve a tree inventory or creating a plan for which species and how many are in place, along with their condition and location.
Species selection has become a key part of the planning process. Planting too many of one species can leave the urban forests vulnerable if a disease or pest arrives that affects one species, such as the emerald ash borer.
“When we have limited species, we don’t have as much resilience within our community forests when pests and disease come, so we are seeing that now,” Hoyt said.
Additionally, plans must integrate optimal location into the strategy. Factors like where shade is needed, where a tree will get the appropriate amount of water and nearby power lines all must be taken into account.
“If it’s placed really strategically, it’s more beneficial than other spots,” said Lord Ameyaw, assistant professor in the School of Natural Resources. “If you put some thinking into it in terms of placing it, and selecting the right tree also, you can get an uptick in the value of your property … If you have not placed the right tree in the right place, the tree becomes a nuisance, because we didn’t manage it well.”
Students in Ameyaw’s courses also partner with communities and collaborators like PlantNebraska and the Nebraska Forest Service. Ameyaw’s urban forestry classes take forestry to the people of Nebraska and educate them, as well as working with people on the ground in places like Gothenburg, Hickman and Crete to improve their forest management plans.
“I let them out into the communities and ask, ‘What are some of the real problems you are witnessing?’” Ameyaw said. “They have to use the class and the concepts we have learned as a lens and find actual tree problems and come up with practical ways to solve that. We’re partnering with them to come up with very realistic forest management plans they can actually implement.”
Staff from these agencies also run workshops to teach professionals like arborists and nursery workers, as well as advocates, about best practices for tree care and maintenance. These workshops educate on how to care for existing plants and recognize issues that might arise.
“For those working with trees, it makes sure people are up to date on the latest and greatest information and they continue to build their tree care skills, as well,” Hoyt said.
The agencies approach the problem from multiple angles so they can provide an individualized plan for the town’s specific needs. The staff engage towns across the state to collaborate on what those needs are and how to address them.
Ogallala, for example, conducted a tree inventory, evaluated their local tree ordinances and removed at-risk trees and replanted new ones. Grand Island did an inventory, and Hastings and Lincoln organized removal and replanting projects. Crete did some workforce development and planting and management.
“A multi-pronged problem requires a multi-pronged solution,” Pinneo said. “We can’t just offer a one-size-fits-all solution, so that’s why we’re trying to be flexible and responsive to community needs. We have communities who are gung-ho and ready to plant trees. It’s not that they don’t want to.”
Once communities understand the benefits of a robust tree canopy and the risks of not replacing it, the knowledge spurs both a desire and tangible action to tackle the problem, Ameyaw said.
“Once people are sold on the idea of trees not just being beautiful and going beyond the beauty and the aesthetic part of it, they will be more likely to buy into the idea of having trees in the community and protecting trees,” Ameyaw said. “It’s beautiful, but it’s not just that.”
