Growing Green: Sacramento Unveils Draft Urban Forest Plan and Secures Federal Funding
Sacramento (April 30, 2024) - Last week the City of Sacramento and Congresswoman Matsui announced nearly $2 million in federal funding for the city’s urban forestry efforts, along with the launch of the draft Sacramento Urban Forest Plan.
“Sacramento is home to 1 million trees, but unfortunately there are disparities in tree coverage throughout the city,” said Mayor Steinberg. “For many decades fewer trees were planted in economically disadvantaged communities. As the City of Trees, it is crucial that we extend our canopy to every corner of our city. Every resident and every neighborhood is important, and every neighborhood deserves shade and beauty.”
Sacramento’s urban forest consists of an estimated 1 million trees, spanning public property, private land, residential yards, parks, natural areas, streetscapes, schools, and commercial businesses throughout the city. However, only about 100,000 are maintained by the City.
This document will become the City’s primary planning tool for the protection, expansion, maintenance, sustainability, and enhancement of trees in Sacramento.
The plan calls for increasing citywide tree canopy from 19 percent to 35 percent by 2045, which will require planting and maintaining an additional 25,000 trees per year.
Efforts to achieve the canopy goal will require collaboration from the City, the public, and other entities. Priority will be given to neighborhoods with the lowest canopy levels, highest heat exposure, and most socio-economically vulnerable residents.
The City will receive nearly $2 million in federal funding through two grants. This funding includes $1 million from the U.S. Forest Service's Urban & Community Forestry Grant Program and $981,042 from the EPA's Environmental Justice Government-to-Government Grant Program.
The draft plan is also in alignment with the recent approval of the 2040 General Plan and Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP).
The CAAP outlines policies focused on reducing carbon emissions and promoting sustainable development, establishing Sacramento’s greenhouse gas reduction target for 2030 and aiming for carbon neutrality by 2045.
Rachel Patten, the City’s Sustainability Program Specialist, emphasized the crucial role trees play in maintaining a city.
“Trees are essential infrastructure that help our city function by helping clean our air and keep temperatures cool. They provide many benefits to the community, so it’s important that we’re planning for them. The long-term health and success of the urban forest requires ongoing and intentional management and action,” Patten said.
The draft plan is now live for review and comment through a self-guided online workshop on the City’s website. Comments will be accepted over the next two months and closes June 21.
