Advocacy

Advocacy for a city native tree policy was FONTT’s original and sole purpose. The principal accomplishments from this work to-date have been

• Persuading the City Council to make a focus on native trees into a City policy through including
  • a goal for increasing biodiversity through a focus on native trees in a 2020 urban forest resolution.
  • requirements in the revised city tree ordinance for (1) a “focus on native trees,” (2) a tree species list to regulate which species can be planted by the city or in fulfillment of tree replacement requirements, and (3) an annual urban forest report that includes statistics on the number and percentage of native trees planted.

• Producing the Takoma Park Native Tree Selection Guide.

In 2025, FONTT proposed to the city that we work together to redesign the Approved Tree Species List for clarity and usability (see proposal). This initiative follows on FONTT’s efforts in past years to have the city adopt a definition of native trees in order to clarify the frequent use of this term in the tree ordinance.

An updated design for the Approved Tree Species List would have multiple benefits. Residents would have easier access to more information. City staff and councilmembers would have a shared understanding of “a focus on native trees” – a policy mandated by the Council in its 2020 urban forest resolution and the consequent revisions to the tree ordinance – and an improved ability to assess outcomes from that focus. All parties would learn from community engagement, a practice to which the City administration and City Council have committed considerable staff time and budget in 2026.

FONTT members will meet with the City Manager to discuss this proposal in December and hopefully move forward with the work in 2026.

Key Advocacy Links

City Council 2020 resolution on the urban forest (goals listed at bottom of page 2)

References to native trees and tree species in the City of Takoma Park Tree Ordinance

FONTT proposal to redesign Approved Tree Species List for clarity and usability

Why a good city policy requires a formal definition of native tree

How the State of Maryland and Arlington County defined native trees and other native plants

Outreach

Our native tree selection guide continues to be available online. In 2025, a shorter version featuring only the list of native tree species was added. In the coming year, we will work with our main retailers, Ace Hardware and TPSS Coop, to make the printed versions of the guide more visible and enticing to customers. (Note: FONTT sells the guide to retailers at our printing costs and so makes no profit on guide sales.)

FONTT’s main outreach event in 2025 was to bring the University of Maryland Insect Zoo to the TPSS Coop Earth Day Celebration for the fourth consecutive year. The FONTT table featured a Maryland’s Favorite Caterpillars display and contest (see the winners here). FONTT will have an even bigger and better display in 2026 to celebrate the five-year anniversary of this collaboration with the University of Maryland.

FONTT will look into additional events, methods, and materials to educate residents on the value of removing invasive plants, replacing them with native trees and other native plants, and maintaining the habitat value of yards through simple and inexpensive ecological practices.

Key Outreach Links

FONTT’s native tree selection guide

Maryland Favorite Caterpillars display and contest at the Coop Earth Day Celebrations