With the shared interest of enhancing Richmond’s tree canopy, the City’s Urban Forestry Collaborative launched its first project over the weekend 11/17/18).
Over 150 participants and organizers spread throughout the Carver neighborhood to plant dozens of trees. “I think this is one of our prettiest native trees,” said Cynthia Scheuermann with the Virginia Department of Forestry, describing the Sourwood. “It’s really pretty in the fall.”
The Carver Tree Project aims to make the area greener and more walkable, says VCU’s Wyatt Carpenter, while reducing the university's carbon footprint. “We have greenhouse reduction goals through the university, and we’re interested in finding ways we can offset out emissions from travel.”
The Richmond Urban Forestry Collaborative is a partnership with VCU, local non-profits, and the state. The tree planting follows the Collaborative’s research that found lower-income areas of Richmond have less trees and less environmental benefits.