The objectives of the MTOA are:

1. To promote and improve the practice of professional municipal  arboriculture and urban forestry.
2. To stimulate a greater interest in the planting and preservation of amenity trees and other landscape plants.
3. To promote public attention to, and to develop a greater public appreciation of trees and other landscape plants for amenity, biodiversity, climate change amelioration and for landscape value, and to promote cooperation in the conservation and planting of trees, especially for the enhancement of urban areas.
4. To recommend and uphold a Code of Ethics established to maintain a high level of practice by those engaged in the profession.
5. To initiate and support scientific research of problems pertaining to municipal arboriculture/ urban forestry and to publish the results of such investigations.
6. To sponsor an annual meeting and other such meetings as may be designated by the Executive Board, devoted to the exchange and presentation of information of interest and value to professional municipal arboriculturists/ urban foresters and others interested in municipal tree care.
7. To administer separate funds organised exclusively for education and research purposes relating to the practice of municipal arboriculture, and/or to work with other allied groups with similar interests for the same purposes.