By 2035, increase the number of trees by at least 35,000 across the seven Philly Tree Plan priority areas.
Healthy and well-maintained trees make a substantial contribution to the quality of life of urban residents. In addition to providing protection from the heat and improving mental and physical well-being, trees can also be an important tool in combating climate change. Philadelphia’s urban forest stores an estimated 2.6 million tons of carbon dioxide and removes and stores an additional 99,000 tons each year.
Unfortunately, between 2008 and 2018 Philadelphia’s urban forest shrunk by 6%, an amount roughly equivalent to 1,000 football fields, due to development, lack of maintenance, removal of yard trees, the effects of climate change, and other threats. In addition, the presence of trees and tree canopy ("part of the land that is covered by tree leaves and branches from a bird’s-eye view") varies dramatically across Philadelphia neighborhoods. Philadelphia has 20% tree canopy citywide; however, it is more concentrated in some neighborhoods (with tree canopy coverage of 45% or more in some areas) and sparse in others (with less than 5% canopy). The lowest tree canopy areas of the city correlate with the low-income neighborhoods that were "redlined" on federal maps of Philadelphia in the 1930s and have withstood generations of environmental and socio-economic burdens.1
Recognition of this discriminatory legacy helped to rally individuals to produce the Philly Tree Plan, a 10-year strategic plan for the growth and care of Philadelphia’s urban forest. The plan includes priority areas where tree canopy growth will have the most significant impact on public health, well-being, and quality of life.
To increase the benefits of trees in the lives of all Philadelphians, we will focus on planting trees in the priority areas.
We recognize that there are many ways that organizations and communities can contribute to advancing this objective. Possible efforts may support tree planting and establishment care, reducing barriers to new trees and building community trust, expanding workforce capacity, and advocating for policy or funding changes that advance equitable canopy growth. We are seeking to support projects and programs that organizations working in Philadelphia believe will be most effective in making progress on the objective above.
We measure progress on this objective by grantee reports of trees planted.
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