What does the city forester do?

As the city forester, Pete Stewart’s job is to care for all the trees on public property in Chattanooga. Planting, pruning, watering — his team in the Urban Forestry program ensures healthy trees line the streets and wayward limbs don’t intrude into power lines.

“Most of the work we do is traffic visibility, pruning — that’s our bread and butter,” Stewart said. “That’s the baseline service we offer, and that’s where most of our time goes.”

Blocked stop sign? Tree branch brushing the top of a school bus in your neighborhood? Upturned trunk after a thunderstorm? Urban Forestry staff are responsible for the fix. Chattanoogans can request tree trimming, removal, and even planting from Urban Forestry through 3-1-1.

Stewart and a colleague also review dozens of land disturbing permits each year to prevent undue damage to city-owned trees during construction. 

A tall, soft-spoken native of Western Canada, Stewart is about five years into his role as forester. He follows Gene Hyde, an “absolutely legendary person,” Stewart said, who held the job from 1990 until retiring in 2020. Hyde’s overarching urban forestry plan from 2014 is still the program’s guiding document, Stewart said, the core of which is streamlining daily forestry services.

Members of Chattanooga’s tree commission, a nine-person, citizen-run board that meets monthly, also work closely with Urban Forestry. They advise Stewart on public tree policy and hear from community members.

“ It’s a good place to bring gripes, bring ideas, bring concerns that could turn into an ordinance someday,” Stewart said.

Tree Commission meetings are open to the public! 

When: The third Tuesday of each month at 4 p.m.

Where: The fourth floor of the downtown library

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Contact William at william@chattamatters.com