Frey, Palmisano, Osman, MPRB Leadership, and Community Partners Highlight $1 Million Investment in the Climate Resiliency Initiative Tree Canopy
In his 2022 State of the City address, Mayor Frey announced his proposal to invest $1 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to expand the Minneapolis urban tree canopy in major heat islands.
Today, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) Superintendent Al Bangoura and President Meg Forney joined the Mayor, Council Vice President Linea Palmisano and Council Member Jamal Osman, as well as community partners, to highlight $1 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding dedicated to programming to expand the urban tree canopy as part of the Green Minneapolis Climate Resiliency Initiative.
This partnership is part of Green Minneapolis’ Twin Cities Climate Resiliency Initiative, focused on expanding the urban tree canopy across the seven-county Twin Cities metro area. The new trees will add to the existing 600,000 trees under MPRB management in Minneapolis. Green Minneapolis will lead collaboration with the MPRB to add and maintain trees that will mitigate the City’s major heat islands – North and South Green Zones and Downtown – and equalize tree canopy coverage across environmentally disadvantaged parts of the city.
Superintendent Bangoura’s Remarks
Superintendent Bangoura noted that since 2014, MPRB has been working to build a more diverse, resilient tree canopy throughout Minneapolis in response to the emerald ash borer infestation. “We can keep that momentum going with this ARPA funding in support of the Green Minneapolis Climate Resiliency Initiative,” he said. “It allows MPRB to plant a total of 18,000 trees in 2023 and 2024, with a focus on the Green Zones. That’s triple the number we’d be planting with only MPRB general funds.”
Urban trees are a critical component of our climate future, he added. “More trees will sequester more carbon, capture more stormwater and trap and filter more air pollution. More trees will also save energy and mitigate urban heat island effects.” He also noted many other direct benefits trees bring to urban communities: They slow traffic speeds and make urban roads safer for everyone; reduce crime and increase property values. On a more personal level, trees can encourage us to get outside and be more active. “Research shows that just being around trees or looking at them reduces stress and can improve mental health,” he said.
President Forney’s Remarks
As Board President, Meg Forney highlighted the $1 million investment in the broader context of MPRB’s sustainability initiatives, a key goal being reducing MPRB’s carbon footprint. She noted that the organization’s first carbon-accounting report, completed in 2019, established an organization-wide baseline for greenhouse gas emissions, and “we surpassed our 10% reduction goal in just 4 years! Now we are setting a new, ambitious goal for the next 4 years.”
MPRB’s carbon-reduction actions to date include: switching all MPRB recreation centers to 100% renewable electric energy; completing energy efficiency audits at ice arenas, operation centers, and other major energy-consuming buildings; and improving and expanding citywide collection rates for organics and recycling, thanks to a GreenCorps staff position funded through the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. She also mentioned MPRB’s new Data Insights Team, which can measure and amplify carbon reduction and other sustainability work across the organization.
Changes to MPRB’s fleet include 6 new fleet charging stations for electric vehicles at the South Side Operations Center, with support from MCPA and Excel Energy; an electric utility vehicle added to four hybrid vehicles currently part of the fleet, and the purchased 13 battery-operated equipment items. “Five additional electric vehicles are on order,” she added, “despite COVID-19 and supply chain limitations.”
“Going forward,” Forney said, “our transition to using more clean energy is guided by a fleet transition study for adding more hybrid and electric vehicles, and by clean-energy criteria for new and replacement equipment for park and tree maintenance.” She also pointed out an in-progress goal of establishing management plans to guide sustainable and equitable service levels for MPRB natural resources such as lakes and wetlands, natural areas and the urban forest.
MPRB’s Urban Forest Management Plan – including a Forestry Outreach coordinator to be hired in 2022 – “obviously dovetail with our tree-planting partnership with Green Minneapolis,” Forney added. “Whether it’s growing the tree canopy, sustainably managing land or reducing our carbon footprint, it’s critical for MPRB to be an environmental leader.”
Links
Twin Cities Climate Resiliency Urban Tree Canopy Initiative