The City of Knoxville Tree Board was established in the early 1990s to serve as advisors to the city on public tree planting programs.

The board has been instrumental in creating the Knoxville Street Tree Master Plan, which serves as the basis for planting trees along streets and in neighborhoods.

The board created citizen planting brochures...

... and fostered adoption of the Knoxville-Knox County Tree Conservation and Planting Plan.

The board has advocated for the conservation of rivers, stream corridors and such urban assets as the oaks on Market Square .

Their work with the city has resulted in over 15,000 various trees being planted in public spaces.

The city’s annual Arbor Day program has been coordinated by board member Dessa Blair. According to the state’s regional forester, Dessa has chaired one of the most successful and longest running Arbor Day celebrations in the state.

Dessa and other board members have enkindled environmental values in thousands of students through the Arbor Day programs.