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How can Columbus’ Tree Canopy Master Plan improve the quality of life for residents? Today we’ll discuss the importance of tree canopies and take a look at the master plan that has been developed for the city.
Efforts to take an organized approach to preserving and planting more trees in Columbus is expected to boost the percentage of the city covered by trees. Officials and activists say more trees in the city will keep it cooler, make it easier to breathe and mitigate the effects of climate change.
City of Columbus: Urban-forestry master plan calls for increasing tree canopy 40% Trees are beautiful, are good for the environment and enhance property values. But in Columbus, most neighborhoods don't have enough of them, according to the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department. After 18 months of planning and involving community groups, individuals, companies and professionals, Columbus recreation and parks officials have released the urban-forestry master plan, which seeks to grow the canopy by 40% across the city. Columbus had a 22% overall tree canopy, lower than many of its peer cities, such as Pittsburgh (40%), Cincinnati (39%) and Louisville, Kentucky, (37%), according to the plan. “The tree canopy refers to the part of a city that is shaded by trees,” according to the master plan.
Residents can weigh in on Columbus' first-ever Urban Forestry Master Plan The city is developing its first-ever Urban Forestry Master Plan with a goal of expanding the tree canopy in Columbus. Credit: (Image Courtesy: City of Columbus) Author: Brittany Bailey Updated: 11:37 AM EST March 7, 2021 COLUMBUS, Ohio — Columbus is lagging behind its peer cities when it comes to the canopy cover of trees. And city leaders want to change that. The Columbus Recreation and Parks Department recently unveiled its first-ever Urban Forestry Master Plan. The goal is to guide how the city invests in its trees long-term. “Trees are really critical to our residents’ quality of life,” said Rosalie Hendon, environmental planner for Recreation and Parks and project manager for the urban forestry master plan. “They’re cleaning our air, they’re filtering the water, they’re making walking around the city bearable, and we know that, as our city continue to warm over coming decades, they’re only going to become more important.”