Pledge by City of Ann Arbor
City of Ann Arbor - 20,000 Trees Commitment
Total Trees Pledged: 20,000Supporting actions: Tree Protection through Management, Environmental Education,
The City of Ann Arbor pledges to, by 2030, plant 10,000 new trees on public property and 10,000 new trees on private property within the city. These trees are estimated to provide approximately $1.6 million USD per year in benefits, and to remove approximately 16,000 MT of CO2 within the first 50 years. Public planting efforts will be focused on plantings in the right-of-way. Private planting efforts will be through two main pathways, both of which are City-funded: free tree giveaways, through which residents can receive and plant their own seedlings; and community tree planting events, through which volunteers will plant trees for residents within a neighborhood or other community. All planting efforts will focus on equity, with priority distribution to areas with low tree canopy cover and greater need for the environmental, health, and socio-economic benefits of trees.
We will continue to partner with the Washtenaw County Conservation District in purchasing trees for our free tree giveaway events - part of our efforts to plant 10,000 trees on private property. In addition, community tree planting events will be held in conjunction with local community-based organizations.
The City will manage all trees planted on public property to ensure health and survival. In addition, educational programs regarding tree identification, planting, and care will be offered to residents as a means of environmental education and in an effort to enhance the level of care given to trees planted on private property.
The City will only plant tree species that are considered non-invasive in Michigan and that are well adapted to the climate of southeastern Michigan. In addition, trees will be planted with a focus on species diversity, to enhance the resilience of our urban canopy to pests and disease. All publicly planted trees will be maintained yearly, and community engagement will provide residents with the knowledge needed to properly care for all trees planted on private property. All plantings will focus on equity and will be done in priority areas of the city, based on where tree canopy is low and the need for the benefits provided by trees is high.
16,242 MT CO2E