The City of Sioux Falls plans to plant about 1,600 street trees this fall as the Forestry team responds to continued emerald ash borer impacts and expands tree planting to support the city’s urban forest.
Fall planting through the CommuniTree Program is scheduled to begin in mid-September, with trees expected to be planted in residential parking strips throughout the community. The planting will follow about 1,200 trees planted during the spring 2026 season. Combined, the two planting seasons are expected to add about 2,800 street trees to Sioux Falls’ urban forest this year.
"A healthy urban forest is an important part of maintaining a healthy, safe and sustainable community," said Josh Johnson, park operations manager for the city. "Our team is focused on caring for the trees we have today while continuing to establish new trees that will benefit Sioux Falls for years to come."
Continued focus on Emerald Ash Borer
Emerald Ash Borer continues to affect ash trees throughout the city.
On private property, ash tree mortality has continued to double from the previous year, a trend observed since 2023. Identifying ash trees and assessing their condition can help property owners determine whether treatment or removal is appropriate.
“Emerald ash borer continues to remove trees from Sioux Falls’ urban forest, but with this challenge comes an opportunity to plan for the future,” said Bryan Peterson, urban forestry specialist for the city. “We are stewards of this community asset, and planting a diverse mix of tree species now will strengthen the tree canopy and ensure sustainable benefits for generations to come.”
The city also will continue educating residents about how to identify ash trees, recognize signs of emerald ash borer and plan for affected trees before they become safety concerns.
As the community prepares for the ongoing loss of ash trees, the Forestry team will continue to evaluate its programs, resources and management strategies.
For more information on emerald ash borer, visit siouxfalls.gov/eab.
CommuniTree Program adds new trees
Properties were selected to participate in the city’s CommuniTree Assistance Program based on areas of low tree canopy throughout Sioux Falls.
The program is funded through an Urban and Community Forestry Grant administered by the U.S. Forest Service. The program covers the cost of the tree, installation and one full growing season of care and maintenance to help the tree become established.
Spring 2027 will be the final planting season under the current CommuniTree Program.
More information about the CommuniTree Program is available at siouxfalls.gov/communitree.
Tree-planting vouchers available
Residents also can plant trees in the public right of way through the city’s street tree planting permit.
Residents must obtain a planting permit before installing a tree in the right of way, the area between the sidewalk and street. The permit process helps ensure the proposed location is appropriate and that the tree and its placement are suitable for the site.
After a site is approved, residents can receive a $100 planting voucher for each approved tree site while vouchers are available.
More information about the tree-planting voucher program is available at siouxfalls.gov/street-tree-planting.
Building a healthy and resilient urban forest
The Forestry team oversees the health, diversity and productivity of approximately 56,000 trees throughout Sioux Falls.
Each summer, the Forestry team conducts a Forest Health Survey of the entire community, assessing trees across more than 67,000 parcels for issues such as disease, insect infestation, decline or death. The survey helps identify unhealthy or hazardous trees so property owners and the city can take appropriate action to protect the health and safety of Sioux Falls’ urban forest.
More information about the city’s Forestry team is available at siouxfalls.gov/forestry.