The Parks and Forestry Division is comprised of approximately 40 personnel dedicated to the care and maintenance of over 100 municipal properties (including parks, playgrounds, squares, plazas, medians, and public building grounds) and nearly 15,000 public trees. The field staff is assigned to one of four standing crews—one urban forestry crew, and three park maintenance crews, one for each of three park maintenance districts.

In late 1998, the park maintenance program was split from the Parks and Buildings Operations Division to form a dedicated Parks Division. One year later, the Urban Forestry Division and the Parks Division merged. These shifts were executed in the interest of matching programs with similar skill and equipment needs, to increase efficiency.

The Superintendent of Parks and Forestry manages the entire program, which is supported by a $3.4 million operating budget and a $350,000 capital improvement fund (fiscal year 2004). He is supported by a City Arborist, certified by the International Society of Arboriculture, and a Turf and Landscape Manager, who has both curricular and practical training in turf agronomy and ornamental horticulture. Each field crew is led by its own permanent supervisor.

The Superintendent serves on the City’s interdisciplinary Open Space Committee, comprised of representatives of several City departments, that meets regularly to update the long-range capital plan for open space improvements, and to submit the annual capital budget.

The City Arborist provides staff support to the appointed-citizen Committee on Public Planting, which offers advice on tree planting and landscape improvements in the context of roadway projects, park renovations, and private developments that include public frontage