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Alternative packages for urban forestry services should be developed. In many cases, decision makers are not familiar with the technical details of urban forestry or the intricacies of program management. The budget process may then become an educational process. Budget documents and presentations should be simple, direct and clear. Because charts and graphs communicate complex information effectively, they should be incorporated into the budget request. The first step in acheiving equity with other city services is for tree care to be perceived as an essential city service. The process begins by proving that the city's trees are assets. Not caring for them may incurr the cost of lawsuits. Good tree management does not cost, it pays. This reality needs to be clearly communicated in the budget process. Funding Sources The care of publicly owned trees is a basic city service. Although streets and utilities comprise the city's infrastructure, the trees themselves are a city's "green infrastructure". To ensure qualified staff or contractors, an urban forestry program requires adequate financing. The average annual cost per capita of comprehensive tree programs is approximately $3.50. To support urban forestry programs, citizens must understand that caring for trees benefits people as well as trees. Trees contribute to a city's physical, economic, and social welfare. If these values are understood, urban forestry can more effectively compete for scarce tax dollars and other forms of funding. A financing system for a municipal tree program should be dependable, equitable, easily administered, and consistent with community priorities. To a large extent, the care that trees receive determine their long -term value. Proper planning and maintenance can maximize the chances that the value of the urban forest will exceed the public's investment in it. Funding strategies must include a long term commitment to maintenance. A multitude of funding sources exist, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Cities and towns must find approaches that are appropriate to local needs and cultures. The following methods have been successfully employed around the country and illustrate the opportunities for funding an urban forestry program.