Sacramento wants to expand its famous tree canopy to more neighborhoods. It needs your help
Sacramento wants to expand the urban canopy that gave the City of Trees its nickname — and it needs residents’ help.
The city is seeking public comment on its draft Sacramento Urban Forest Plan, which aims to maintain and expand the city’s urban forest.
It’s asking locals to “share your thoughts on why trees are important and how we can make the (plan) stronger to support the vision of Sacramento as a healthy, vibrant, City of Trees in every neighborhood.”
Public comments on the draft plan will be accepted until June 21 via a community website.
The site details the current conditions of the city’s tree canopy, the framework of the Sacramento Urban Forest Plan and its proposed implementation.
What is the Sacramento Urban Forest Plan?
Sacramento’s Urban Forest Plan is the city’s planning tool for “protection, expansion, maintenance, sustainability and enhancement” of the urban forest, the plan’s website said.
The plan’s primary goal is to increase the citywide urban tree canopy from its current size of 19% to 25% by 2030 and 35% by 2045, according to its website.
In 2017, Sacramento was ranked the nation’s greenest city, according to Treepedia, a project conducted by MIT’s Senseable City Lab.
However, the City of Trees isn’t equally “green” in every neighborhood.
Currently, Sacramento’s residential tree canopy varies from 43% to 12% depending on the area, according to the plan.
What are the benefits of urban forests?
Urban forests not only add to the property value of homes in a city, but also can lower electricity bills by 20 to 40% during the hotter months, according to the Sacramento Urban Forest Plan.
Additionally, urban forests can improve air quality and lower temperatures in areas during warm weather.
Which Sacramento areas have the most trees?
There are currently about 1 million trees in Sacramento, according to the city.
Roughly 900,000 of those trees are on private properties, and the remaining 100,000 are on city property.
According to the draft Sacramento Urban Forest Plan, the 10 neighborhoods within Sacramento city limits that currently “meet or exceed 35% canopy” are:
▪ Boulevard Park
▪ Campus Commons
▪ Elmhurst
▪ Land Park
▪ Marshall School
▪ Natomas Corporate Center
▪ New Era Park
▪ Richmond Grove
▪ River Park
▪ Southside Park
Which areas in Sacramento have the least trees?
Residential neighborhoods with the lowest tree canopy are in South Sacramento, North Sacramento and North Natomas, according to the plan.
Many of the areas are industrial, with canopy levels of less than 5%, the city said.
What do you want to know about life in Sacramento? Ask our service journalism team your top-of-mind questions in the module below or email servicejournalists@sacbee.com.
