Urban Environmental Department

The Urban Environmental Department is involved in all aspects of managing the city's urban forests and is committed to helping our citizens with all types of arboricultural-related issues. Murfreesboro's trees are a big part of what makes Murfreesboro the great city that it is and one of our department's main goals is to provide our citizens with information on how to protect, maintain and expand our valuable urban forest. It is also vitally important that we continue to educate our citizens about the importance of trees, and that we form partnerships with citizen groups, businesses, and others in order to promote and maintain public involvement in the long-term management of them. We need your help and support, and by working together, we can preserve and enhance the legacy of Murfreesboro's urban forests through wise stewardship and far-sighted leadership.

Urban environmental commission

The Murfreesboro Urban Environmental Commission is a nine-member board responsible for developing and establishing policy related to protecting and enhancing the environmental, economic, and aesthetic resources of the community.  Members of this Commission and their terms are included on the Boards and Commission list.

Tree board

The tree board is a five-member board responsible for hearing variances associated with the Tree Management Ordinance.

Sewer safe trees

In an effort to reduce the amount of root intrusion into sanitary sewer lines, collection operators may recommend trees that are “sewer-safe.” The general recommendation is to choose small, slow-growing species, varieties or cultivars with less aggressive root systems and to replace them before they get too large for their planting area. There are no “sewer-safe” trees, but by using small, slower-growing trees, sewer lines should be safer from the intrusion of tree roots.

Pruning tips

Trees have always played an important role in our community. In addition to their aesthetic charm, they provide us with a host of environmental benefits: they shade our streets and homes, they filter out dust and pollen and air pollutants, they assimilate carbon dioxide produced by the burning of fossil fuels, they produce oxygen, and they cool the air as water evaporates from pores in their leaves. And the larger a tree becomes, the greater the environmental benefits we receive from it.

A community that cares about the health and welfare of its citizens will likewise care about its trees. Raking leaves and providing adequate tree care is a very modest price to pay for the many benefits trees provide.

Advice to residents using tree trimming services

As spring approaches and the weather warms, many residents begin to clean up their yards and prune, cut limbs, remove brush and even remove undesired trees. This is also the time of the year when a variety of firms come into the city to offer their services. We would like to remind citizens anyone contracted to perform these services is also required to haul off the debris they create, according to city ordinance. Most local services are aware of this ordinance. However, there are some individuals and companies who try to avoid the hauling requirement.

The city accepts all limbs and brush cut within city limits at no cost, as long as the practice meets the processing requirements of the mulching operation and is brought to the center during normal working hours; approximately 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with closure during the noon hour. The mulching operation is located on West College Street near the railroad overpass, approximately four blocks south of the Thompson Lane bypass.

Prior to agreeing to any tree services, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) recently made the following suggestions, which we support:

1. Be patient, demand for tree services may be high, but waiting for a reputable company will save you time and money.
2. Obtain the name, address, telephone number and owner's name, and then verify this information before any work begins.
3. Make sure the company is licensed and insured.
4. Use a Certified Arborist whenever possible for tree work
5. Obtain estimated (quotes) from several companies to ensure you are getting the best price and service.
6. Check references.
7. Pay after the work is completed.
8. Call BBB for reliability reports on the company. Its phone number is 242-4222. This is a data base number. Follow the instructions, having the phone number of the firm for which you are seeking information available.

On policy matters, the Urban Environmental Department is overseen by a commission that includes:

• John Duke
• George Hansen
• Glendel Knight
• Jimmy McElhaney, Jr.
• Carl Montgomery
• Kathryn Moore
• Linda Roberts
• Addie Sue Webb
• Doug Young