Cities in Action: Tapping into Critical Green Infrastructure
Problem: There is a need for a “whole-of-government effort” to invest in neighborhood trees and take tangible steps forward to deliver health equity, economic opportunity and climate resilience. Trees are vital green infrastructure and the most effective means of combating extreme heat and other conditions related to climate instability.
Solution: Boise launched the City of Trees Challenge to plant 100,000 trees and double the city’s tree canopy by 2030. Cleveland created the Cleveland Tree Coalition which calls for planting an additional 361,000 trees, growing Cleveland’s urban tree canopy cover from 18% to 30% by 2040.
Outcome: By the close of 2020, the Boise City of Trees Challenge, supported by the Arbor Foundation and The Nature Conservancy, planted 37,000 seedlings in the Boise National Forest. Although Cleveland fell short of its ambitious goal of 50,000 new trees by 2020, progress in 2021 has seen funds for and planting of 5,400 new trees toward the goal.