Urban forestry is the planting and management of all trees and woodland in towns and cities. The urban forest is made up of all the trees and woods in towns and cities. It is the collective term for all the individual trees in streets, gardens and parks as well as existing woodland, areas of natural regeneration and new planting. Trees in towns can help to improve the quality of life in a number of ways: they make a major contribution to sustainable development. Greener towns and cities are also more attractive and so trees are an important aid to urban regeneration.

The UK's National Urban Forestry Unit was set up in 1995. It is a charitable organisation which works to raise awareness of the positive contribution that trees make to the quality of life in towns.

It champions urban and community forestry to those tackling such issues as public health, leisure and recreation, land reclamation, built development, heritage and education.

The Unit works in partnership with fellow professionals in a wide range of organisations throughout the UK, including local authorities, the private sector and non-government organisations. The National Urban Forestry Unit is involved in a variety of activities, including demonstration projects, advisory work, training, the organisation of conferences and seminars and the production of publications to ensure that practice in urban forestry continues to be improved and that it is widely known, understood and applied.

The National Urban Forestry Unit aims are:

* To increase awareness, understanding and popular support for trees in towns
* To encourage a strategic approach to the development of urban forestry
* To promote technical excellence, research, innovation and best value in all aspects of urban forestry
* To provide a national focus for the exchange of information and good practice in urban forestry
* To champion the work of the growing number of UK urban and community forestry projects