Trees can make all the difference improving the streetscape and counteracting urban challenges such as urban heat islands, caused when air temperatures rise, in part from replacing trees and other vegetation with buildings, roads and other heat-absorbing infrastructure. Trees are also an essential part of improving the pedestrian environment, providing shade and creating more pleasant public space. No wonder they’re so loved.
We also now know that DC’s tree canopy—the percentage of the ground that has tree cover overhead—has expanded by 2.1% over the past five years, now covering 37.2% of the city. The goal is to increase the canopy to 40% by 2035. The Downtown street canopy is roughly 7%.
We can all do more to help. The District Department of Transportation’s (DDOT) Urban Forestry Administration (UFA) allows residents to improve both the cityscape and sustainability through its Canopy Keepers tree adoption program, which provides a higher level of care for newly planted street trees.
“This is a great opportunity for property managers to see the connection between the economic value of the streetscape and the value of their buildings,” says Ellen Jones, the DowntownDC BID’s director of Infrastructure and Sustainability. “Tenants appreciate the aesthetic value and benefits of trees.”
In fact, the DowntownDC BID is a Canopy Keeper for 14 trees in Downtown parks, meaning we signed a partnership agreement to water and monitor the welfare of specific trees in the first two years after planting. We’ve also reached out to property managers located in properties adjacent to the newest round of saplings to encourage them to join the program too. Do us a favor: The next time you stroll down the street, take a moment to savor a tree—one of man’s best friends!