About Tennessee Urban Forestry Council

Promoting healthy and sustainable urban and community forests which contribute to clean air and water, economic stability, and beautiful green places in which all Tennesseans and future generations will live, work and play.

The Council

TUFC is a nonprofit organization supported by members including of businesses, groups and individuals with an interest in urban forestry. Join

The Council was formed in 1991 with Chattanooga urban forester Gene Hyde as president. History

Governed by a board of directors, the Council supports two chapters, West Tennessee, founded in 2004, and Trees Nashville, founded in 2008. Bylaws

Affiliates

Steve Scott
State Forester
P.O. Box 40627
Melrose Station
Nashville TN 37204
w) 615-837-5411
f) 615-837-5003
steve.scott@state.tn.us

Bruce Webster
Staff Urban Forester 
P.O. Box 40627
Melrose Station
Nashville TN 37204
w) 615-837-5436
f) 615-837-5003
bruce.webster@state.tn.us

T. Brian Rucker
Assistant Staff Urban Forester
P.O. Box 40627
Melrose Station
Nashville TN 37204
w) 615-837-5439
c) 615-289-2103
brian.rucker@state.tn.us

Tom Simpson
East Tennessee Regional Urban Forester
1640 Chapman Highway
Sevierville TN 37862
w) 865-908-4434
f) 865-908-4434
tom.simpson@state.tn.us

Shawn Posey
West Tennessee Regional Urban Forester
7777 Walnut Grove Road
PO Box 30
Memphis TN 38120
w) 901-754-5185
f) 901-685-3905
shawn.posey@state.tn.us

SMA
Gene Hyde (Past President, 1991)
City Forester, Chattanooga
w) 423-757-7283
c) 423-421-5758
hyde_gene@mail.chattanooga.gov

ISA Southern Chapter President Wes Hopper
Urban Forestry
w) 901-383-2266
c) 901-212-8822
urbn4estry@aol.com

Chapter Representative
Jim Barnhart
Utility Arborist
w) 931-680-5811
jbarnhart@dremc.com

Board of directors

PRESIDENT

Patrick Haller

VICE PRESIDENT

Todd Snackenberg

SECRETARY

Karen Davenport

TREASURER

Derrick Lynch

PAST PRESIDENT

Zack French

BOARD MEMBERS

Chris Armour

Dwight Barnett

Tammy Buchanan

Kim Davis

Nicole Hampton-Cardwell

Jon Kell

Jon Nessle

Marti Foster

Betsy Porter

Lydia Wiggins-Azimi

ONE-YEAR APPOINTMENTS

Nick Bridgeman

Jimmy Ferrell

Craig Lenocker

TREE CLIMB CHAIR

Scott Winningham
Arbor Medics
c) 931-261-1967
sawinningham@charter.net

ARBORETUM COORDINATOR

Douglas Airhart
Horticulture Professor
Tennessee Technological University
w) 931-372-3288
c) 931-510-4067
dairhart@tntech.edu

Celebrating 20
years of serving our community trees

• Hosted 19 annual Urban Forestry Conferences bringing together diverse stakeholders
• Hosted 12 annual Tennessee Tree Climbing Championships promoting safety and professionalism in the arbor care industry
• Created two comprehensive websites: tennesseetrees.org and tennesseegrove.org
• Certified 54 arboretums, setting the standard for arboretums for public tree education
• Formed a new partnership with the state Department of Transportation to present the Tennessee Groves memorial, honorarium and environmental landscape program
• Created the traveling Notable Trees of Tennessee educational exhibit, featured in 28 locations statewide
• Hosted 35 Town Hall meetings in cities statewide to bring together city elected officials and employees and tree board members to focus on local issues
• Provided an urban forestry tie-in with the Governor's Three Star economic program

TUFC's state and national network