Urban & Community Forestry

Urban Forestry pertains to the trees you encounter every day - from those in manicured parks to those lining your street and in your backyard. We manage these trees differently than those in a traditional forest, such as our 400+ acre Roosevelt Forest in the northern portion of Town.

Trees within property owned by the Town of Stratford, and trees within certain rights-of-way held by the Town of Stratford, are under care and control of the Stratford Tree Warden. Our Geographic Information System (GIS) is used to make this determination, and our Engineering Division provides detailed ownership clarification when necessary. Note that all state roadways, with exceptions on small portions of Main Street and Barnum Avenue, are managed by the Connecticut Department of Transportation. Should you have tree inquiries with DOT, they can be reached here.

Town trees are maintained through both the Conservation and Parks Divisions of our Public Works Department. Stratford has a dedicated full-time Tree Crew, and Connecticut-licensed arborist on-staff.

Stratford residents and businesses may request work on Town trees, including inspection, removal, pruning, stump grinding, and planting. Please call Public Works directly at (203) 385-4006 to make such requests. The Tree Warden performs tree inspections to first determine the need for any action. Thereafter, trees may be pruned or removed, if warranted. As a general rule, healthy trees that do not pose a public safety risk will not be removed. The Town also performs stump grinding and tree plantings.

You may also request to conduct work on Town trees through a free Permit, accessed here. Please complete the form and submit to kkerrigan@townofstratford.com.

Did you know that Stratford is home to two Connecticut state champion trees, and over a dozen other notable trees? The Connecticut Notable Tree Project has catalogued Connecticut's largest and historical trees since 1985. Check out the link on the right to learn more!