The Metropolitan Council has recently awarded $2.5 million in grants aimed at greening the Twin Cities. These Community Tree Planting grants are destined for 14 cities and regional park agencies, enabling the planting of over 5,100 new trees and the removal of 2,200 hazardous ones. “Trees are one of the smartest long-term investments we can make for our region’s future,” Robert Lilligren, Chair of the Met Council’s Community Development Committee, told Metropolitan Council’s news release. He highlighted the importance of trees in providing clean air, cooling neighborhoods, preventing erosion, and beautifying communities.
At the heart of this initiative is the battle against emerald ash borer infestations and addressing public safety. Funded through state appropriations, the new Met Council program specifically targets areas with insufficient tree canopy and communities facing safety concerns due to diseased ash trees. According to Gillian Greenberg, senior climate planner for the Met Council, the program will deliver “significant, long-term benefits for generations.” Removing distressed ash trees would immediately bolster the safety of neighborhoods while newly-planted trees will provide cooling shade, improved air quality, and wildlife habitats. These were the words Greenberg used in a statement obtained by Metropolitan Council’s news release.
This latest project by the Met Council responds to concerns about urban heat islands and environmental justice. With the cooling factor of trees reducing air temperatures by up to 10 degrees and filtering air pollution, the grants are seen as an investment in both urban health and equity. State legislation requires prioritizing the removal of risky ash trees and bolstering the canopy in vulnerable communities, considering factors like income and education levels that correlate with environmental health disparities…