city of trees challenge
Is it possible to plant 100,000 trees in 10 years? That is the mission for the Elaine Clegg City of Trees Challenge, a partnership between the City of Boise and the Treasure Valley Canopy Network. It started on Arbor Day, in 2020 and is now in its fourth year. Tree captains, from all across the City will be connecting residents with free trees from the City of Boise. Which is a pretty cool and challenging undertaking.
Treasure Valley Canopy Network
The Treasure Valley Canopy Network (TVCN) is a nonprofit organization that works to support sustainable development and management of the urban forest through collaboration with public and private partnerships. They have done extensive research and mapping of the tree canopy in Boise and beyond. Boise may be the City of Trees, but when it comes to tree canopy there is a wide disparity of tree cover across the City. You can check out the latest map on their website or by clicking here. The river corridor and Boise’s oldest neighborhoods have the highest amount of tree coverage but The City of Trees Challenge is trying to change that by focusing efforts to plant trees in the areas with the least amount of tree canopy. Anyone in the City of Boise is eligible for the free tree, regardless of which neighborhood they live in.
Over the summer, residents will be able to place their order with a tree captain or online to receive a tree in the fall. Each household is eligible for one free tree. These are they types of trees you can order:
Amelanchier grandiflora - Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry, Class I
Malus Species - Crabapple, Class I
Cercis canadensis - Eastern Redbud, Class I
Betula nigra - River Birch, Class II
Celtis occidentalis - Common Hackberry, Class II
Ginkgo bilbao - Gingko Tree, Class II
Ulmus species - Elm, Class II
Gymnocladus diocus ‘Espresso’ - ‘Espresso’ Kentucky Coffee Tree, Class III
Platanus hispanica ‘Bloodgood’ - ‘Bloodgood’ London Planetree, Class III
Quercus robur x alba ‘Streetspire’ - ‘Streetspire’ Columnar Oak, Class III
The trees are categorized by size. Class I are smaller trees that are 30 feet or less at maturation; Class II between 30 - 60 feet; and Class III are taller than 60 feet. Location is key to an urban tree's survival, as they can conflict with urban infrastructure. You’ll want to consider where the tree is going to be planted when you’re choosing a tree.
Why is this Important?
Why is the City giving trees away? Urban trees are incredibly important to our daily lives and our climate. Everyday, the trees are taking carbon out of the air and providing us with oxygen to breathe. They clean the air and water, provide us shade in the summer reducing your energy consumption by as much as 7%. Planting a tree on the west side of your house, if possible, will maximize the energy savings by providing shade during the most intense part of the day. Trees help to offset the urban heat island effect, reducing the temperatures in our cities. Planting a tree can have a direct impact on your home’s energy use and contribute to helping reduce the temperatures of our city and planet.
If you see a Boise Tree Captain this summer, ask them how you can get a tree. They can help with tree selection and location advice. TVCN also has a tree selection guide you can download on their website. These trees are available on a first come, first serve basis. Get one while you can. And if you’re wondering where you can find a tree captain, just ask me!
