Mayor Coleman and Partners break ground on the City’s first Urban Tree Nursery
Mayor Michael B.
Coleman joined today with Columbus City Council President Andrew J. Ginther,
the Weinland Park community and more than 20 non-profit organizations to
announce a pilot program for an urban tree nursery and to unveil a community
wide effort, Branch Out Columbus, whose goal is to plant 300,000 trees
throughout the city by the year 2020.
For the first
time in the city’s history, a thorough Urban Tree Canopy Assessment was
conducted. The study was led by the Columbus Recreation & Parks Division of
Forestry and prepared by consultant, Plan-It-Geo.
The study shows
that the urban tree canopy in Columbus covers 22% of the land, at a total of
31,171 acres. These trees provide a multitude of economic, environmental, and
social benefits, conservatively valued at more than $12.1 million annually.
“The City of
Columbus is committed to a 27% tree canopy by 2020, but we cannot do it alone.
That is why we are branching out by creating the “Branch Out Columbus”
campaign calling for community wide action,” said Mayor Michael B. Coleman.
An executive order
will be prepared by Mayor Coleman to preserve and restore trees on all city led
construction projects. To help residents on private property, through our
GreenSpot Backyard Conservation Program, the City will pay up to a $50 rebate
to plant native trees on their property while supplies last (currently there
are enough funds for approximately 400 trees).
The city,
through the Recreation & Parks Foundation, has set up a fund at the
Columbus Foundation where businesses and residents can donate money towards the
planting of trees in the community.
“Trees are an
important part of improving the quality of life in Columbus,” said Council
President Ginther. “From cleaning the air and water to improving property
values and fighting greenhouse gases, trees make Columbus a great place to live
and work.”
Mayor Coleman
and residents of the Weinland Park neighborhood also announced a pilot program
for an urban tree nursery. The vacant land, owned by the City of Columbus’ Land
Bank and Campus Partners, on 8th Avenue near 5th Avenue
will be the city’s first Urban Tree Nursery. The vision is for the nursery to
be a place where trees can grow to be planted in the neighborhood and where
residents can learn about the importance of trees and how to properly care for
them.
The Mayor announced the goal is to have at least four urban tree nurseries
established in our target neighborhoods by the year 2020.
For more
information about the Branch Out Columbus- 300,000 trees by 2020 campaign, and
to see a copy of the Urban Tree Canopy Assessment, please visit www.columbus.gov/branchout .
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