An Urban Forestry Commissioner generally spends about 6 to 12 hours per month on Commission-related issues. This includes about 4 hours for the monthly meeting, 2-6 hours for committee meetings, and 2 hours per month at other tree-related events. Each Urban Forestry Commissioner is expected to serve on or chair at least one committee.

Applications are available on the Office of Neighborhood Involvement website. The Urban Forestry Commission accepts applications at any time and encourages interested persons to apply. If there is no vacancy, an application is held until one comes up. The occurrence of a vacancy triggers a review of the full pool of applications and the selection of individuals to interview. When the Review Committee selects a candidate, their name is forwarded to the Parks Bureau Commissioner-in-Charge, who then recommends the nominee to the Mayor and City Council. The official appointment is made by the Mayor, for a term varying from 2-4 years.