A Cuyahoga County tree canopy assessment released in December 2019 reflects widespread tree canopy losses in Cleveland.
For Cleveland and surrounding communities, now is the moment to ensure that any infrastructure plan invests in trees and green infrastructure, giving us economic, environmental and equity dividends for decades to come.
Cleveland is the Forest City, but tree canopy loss over the years has made this moniker obsolete.
In 2019, Cuyahoga County pledged $5 million annually over five years for tree planting and maintenance; the city of Cleveland pledged $1 million annually for 10 years.
Prior infrastructure legislation from the 1950s and ’60s took a myopic view, ignoring the impact that paving roads through predominantly under-resourced communities would have on the health and well-being of residents.
We are now at a moment when today’s decisions will be tomorrow’s solutions.
It calls for the buildout of “critical physical, social, and civic infrastructure in distressed and disadvantaged communities” — trees and green spaces will help.
This is an opportunity of a lifetime, a moment to redefine infrastructure to benefit all of America.
Investing infrastructure dollars into equitable tree plantings and green space construction will start to address some of these racial injustices.
Together we call upon our elected officials here and in Washington to use this opportunity and show their support for green infrastructure that mitigates the effects of climate change.
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