U.S. Forest Service Chief Randy Moore visited a tree nursery in Pittsburgh to celebrate Earth Day and highlight urban tree forestry efforts on Monday.
Joined by community partners and other state officials, Moore spoke about local efforts to increase tree canopy at Tree Pittsburgh’s waterfront facilities in Lawrenceville. In October, Tree Pittsburgh and several other organizations under the Pittsburgh Canopy Alliance announced they would be receiving grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
A combined $9 million in funds will be distributed to Pittsburgh programs over the course of five years. The City of Pittsburgh’s Vacant Lots Tree Planting program is set to receive $1 million while the other $8 million will be used by the Pittsburgh Canopy Alliance to plant and maintain trees in an effort to increase greenspace and canopy in urban communities.
Funding for the initiative comes from President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act and the Urban and Community Forestry Program. Outside of Pittsburgh, the USDA is investing $1.5 billion into urban forestry across the country.
Moore said focusing on increasing trees in urban areas is just as important as investing in national forests and wild land.
“In communities that don't have trees versus the communities that do have trees, that's about 15 to 18% difference in the temperature,” said Moore, noting that a lack of tree canopy creates heat islands in many urban communities. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, heat islands can contribute to negative health effects and an increase in air pollution within urban areas.
Moore pointed out that beyond improving community health and wellbeing, efforts like the Urban and Community Forestry Program bring about economic growth as well.
“The trees extend beyond ecological and health aspects. Community trees inspire community engagement and attract other kinds of investments that bring skilled jobs and new economic opportunities. All of these benefits that I described will be felt in your city and in your neighborhoods because of the great work that you're doing.”
Also in attendance on Monday, Secretary of Conservation and Natural Resources Cindy Adams Dunn said Pittsburgh’s local programs for urban forestry stick out among others.
“There's nowhere that we work that citizens aren't more appreciative and thankful and engaged and hard working themselves than in the urban forest environment, especially here in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County with the many partners here,” Dunn said.
Prior to the event, Dunn and Moore toured Tree Pittsburgh’s facilities and nursery. Dunn said she was impressed with the work the partners were putting into the federally funded program.
Moore echoed that sentiment.
“Your partnership and collaboration are creating a future for Pittsburgh here today. And it's really an honor to be a part of what you're doing,” Moore said. “The difference in success and failure is passion, commitment and dedication. I see that with this group.”
The Canopy Alliance was formed in 2020 after a slow, yet alarming, decrease in tree canopy within Allegheny County. Their studies have found that since 2010 the county loses 2% of tree canopy every five years — between 2015 and 2020 the county saw a loss of 4,115 acres of canopy.
Along with Tree Pittsburgh, the Canopy Alliance includes Allegheny Goat Scape, Allegheny County Conservation District, Allegheny Land Trust, Friends of the Riverfront, Landforce, Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, UrbanKind Institute, and Western Pennsylvania Conservancy.
The federal funding is especially meant to ensure an increase in tree canopy in Justice 40 and PA Environmental Justice Areas.
According to Tree Pittsburgh Executive Director Danielle Crumrine, the focus is on areas with more pollution and economic distress. This includes urban pockets within Manchester, Homewood, Beltzhoover and the Mon Valley among other areas.
Moore ended the day’s event by thanking the partners and emphasizing the commitment they have to improving Pittsburgh’s urban communities.
“If I had one wish, it would be for the rest of America to copy this model,” Moore said.
As part of the USDA’s Earth Week celebrations, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture will also visit Pennsylvania. Secretary Tom Vilsack is scheduled to be in Erie and Punxsutawney on Tuesday.
