‘Smart Surfaces’ Policy Guide Offers Advice for Building and Maintaining Urban Tree Canopies

A new policy resource from the Smart Surfaces Coalition offers guidance for cities wanting to grow and maintain their tree canopy to mitigate heat and manage stormwater.

As Robyn Griggs Lawrence explains in Smart Cities Dive, the document “includes policy options, ordinance language, resources and case studies of successful strategies that local officials can use to strengthen tree canopies in their communities.”

Trees are one relatively low-cost way for cities to mitigate the impacts of extreme heat and reduce air pollution. “In Dallas, planting and protecting trees and installing cool roofs and paving materials reduced heat deaths by 22%,” according to the article. “In California, every dollar spent on tree maintenance generated $5.82 in benefits in the form of energy savings, carbon dioxide removal, air pollution uptake and release, rainfall interception, and property values, a USDA Forest Service study found.”

The guide explains how cities can use zoning tools such as Urban Forest Overlay Districts to expand and preserve their tree canopy and how to finance long-term maintenance. Access the full guide via the source article.