In a significant push to bolster Seattle’s green spaces, Mayor Bruce Harrell signed an executive order aimed at protecting the city’s urban tree canopy by focusing on private property. With the balance of housing growth and environmental preservation at stake, the order supports a series of actions to encourage tree preservation and enhance the city’s resilience to climate impacts. According to Mayor Harrell’s office, these initiatives include developing a conservation easement program backed by a $100,000 budget proposal for 2026 and creating incentives within the city’s permitting processes.
Under this new mandate, which builds on a multi-year effort, the city seeks to uphold the urban forest’s role in providing beauty and ecological benefits, alongside the growth and vitality of Seattle. The preservation of “exceptional trees” is particularly emphasized, with a focus on maintaining the character and sustainability of the city, known as the Emerald City. Directing several city departments to shape policy, the order also puts forth the development of a tree pest readiness plan and an update to the stormwater code tailored to protecting the tree canopy, as detailed in Mayor Harrell’s announcement.
The city has set an ambitious target of reaching 30% canopy coverage by 2037, and it boasts a doubling of tree plantings thanks to public and private efforts that have added 30,000 new trees since 2022. These efforts reflect a broader and concerted push to reinvigorate the city’s green spaces, as City Councilmember Maritza Rivera indicated her support for the mayor’s initiative, emphasizing the dual importance of tree preservation and increased urban density—cities facing the demands of both a growing population and climate resilience…