NEW ORLEANS – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service awarded the City of New Orleans a five-year, $8M Urban and Community Forestry Grant funded through the Inflation Reduction Act. The city seeks proposals from seven qualified non-profit firms to aid the New Orleans Department of Parks and Parkways in the administration of this federal grant. Consultant’s teams must include a Louisiana Licensed Landscape Architect who is knowledgeable in local horticultural best practices and tree species.
The New Orleans Department of Parks and Parkways manages over 2,000 acres of public parks, squares, recreation areas, neutral grounds, a golf course, and more across New Orleans. These community spaces see over 13 million visits yearly for enjoyment, events, exercise, and neighborhood gatherings. Over 450,000 street trees also line roadways to enhance quality of life.
In recognition of these efforts, the national Arbor Day Foundation formally deemed New Orleans as a 2024 Tree City USA, honoring its commitment to planting, growing, and maintaining trees to benefit the community.
“We all have a role to play in shaping our future. Tree champions like New Orleans are leading the way,” said Michelle Saulnier, Vice President of Programs at the Arbor Day Foundation. “Trees are critical infrastructure, building resiliency and fostering good health in our nation’s cities. We’re proud New Orleans is among the Arbor Day Foundation’s growing network of communities dedicated to creating positive impact through trees.”
New Orleans also received the Growth Award for exceeding the four Tree City USA standards, which include maintaining a tree board or department, having a community tree ordinance, spending at least $2 per capita on urban forestry, and hosting an Arbor Day celebration.
Trees in cities and neighborhoods are proven to help mitigate the urban heat island effect, reduce stormwater runoff, improve air quality, and boost mental and physical health. When the right trees are planted in the right places, they can also reduce traffic noise, increase property values, and lower energy costs for homeowners.
“The Department of Parks & Parkways is committed to planting native and adaptive species to reach the City’s community-wide goal of planting 40,000 trees by year 2030, as outlined in the Climate Action Plan,” said Michael Karam, Director of the Department of Parks & Parkways. “This will be accomplished by designing and overseeing department planting projects, granting funding to non-profit tree planting partners, and implementing the $8 million Urban and Community Forestry grant from the USDA Forest Service. We will also protect and maintain the established tree canopy by updating the Tree Protection Ordinance.”
In line with the city’s work, the University of New Orleans also cares for its trees and was named a Tree Campus by the Arbor Day Foundation. This was UNO’s third year earning the title.
More information about the Arbor Day Foundation’s programs and impact are here.
