Caring for Trees on Private Property | September 23, 2026

Much of our urban forest lives not in parks or along streets, but on residential property. But it's not always easy to know how to make decisions about mature trees, especially when they start to show signs of decline. In this presentation, hear from certified arborist Andrea Starbird about what she learned while assessing trees in Tacoma's South End and Hilltop neighborhoods as part of a "treesilience" pilot project with Tacoma Tree Foundation and The Nature Conservancy in Washington. We cover some common issues that homeowners face when it comes to caring for mature trees, share some resources to help address those issues, and discuss the barriers to proactive tree maintenance on residential property across Greater Tacoma. 0:00 Introduction 2:37 Speaker Introductions 3:36 Treesilience 8:45 Priority Neighborhoods 11:33 Achievements 13:08 Understanding and Maintaining Mature Trees 13:35 What is a tree health assessment? 20:50 Common tree issues in Tacoma 28:07 How to look at your own tree 33:23 When to call an arborist 36: 30 What you can do 44:02 Additional Resources 50:00 Q&A - We are the Tacoma Tree Foundation, a nonprofit focused on educating, empowering, and supporting community greening efforts in the Greater Tacoma area, Pierce County, and the watersheds of the Puget Sound. Go to our website to find more educational content and learn how to get involved whether it be through an educational program or a planting one! Website: https://tacomatreefoundation.org/ Facebook:   / tacomatrees   Instagram:   / tacomatreefoundation   Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/taco...