Philadelphia's new "Tree Canopy Assessment" both records the damage of the past decade and makes the case for a new path forward when in comes to prioritizing the city's tree canopy.

"Philadelphia has lost the equivalent of over 1,000 football fields worth of tree cover over the last decade," reports Catalina Jaramillo, sharing the findings of a report released earlier this month by the city of Philadelphia.
According to the city's "Tree Canopy Assessment" [pdf], published with help from the University of Vermont Spatial Analysis Lab, TreePennsylvania, and the Gund Institute for Environment, trees offer a "plethora of ecoystems services," but the city's tree canopy has declined over the course of the last decade, led mostly by losses on residential land.
In response, "[Philadelphia] officials kicked off a first-ever ‘urban forest’ strategic planning process last week," according to Jaramillo. "The reduction in tree cover discovered by researchers will lay the groundwork for the 10-year plan to dramatically increase the city’s leafy cover."
FULL STORY: Philly neighborhoods need more trees. A new city initiative takes on the problem.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
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MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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