In a move to spruce up Nashville's green presence, Mayor Freddie O’Connell signed an executive order today to bolster the city's treescape. The move coincides with National Arbor Day and aims to manage, protect, and expand the urban tree canopy. As Nashville experiences a construction boom, officials are keen to ensure that the natural character of neighborhoods won't be left in the dust.
"We have work to do, and we need Nashvillians’ help. The most room for improvement is on private land, commercial and industrial properties, and single-family residential. Increasing the tree canopy in those areas is a great investment in all of us and our future," Mayor O’Connell stated, signalling that it's time to seriously take up the mantle of verdant stewardship. According to a Nashville.gov announcement, the executive order will direct city departments to collaborate with the newly revitalized Sustainability Advisory Committee and Tree Advisory Committee.
It's not just all talk and no planting – the city has put down roots for over 2,000 trees in the past six months. The cumulative count stands proudly at 43,348 on the Root Nashville tree counter. The Cumberland River Compact, a significant partner in the Root Nashville campaign, has been especially leafy with its efforts, installing a robust 6,645 big trees at numerous addresses, with a February frenzy contributing 1,266 trees to Davidson County's green grid.
"Our tree canopy represents what makes Nashville our beloved home," Mekayle Houghton, the Executive Director of Cumberland River Compact, professed, emphasizing the canopy's role in providing clean air, shade, and a safe haven for city-dwelling critters. Meanwhile, Metro Water's Urban Tree Canopy report throws light on the existing situation – and there's plenty of ground still to cover. About one third of Urban Services District’s land is currently an unyielding impervious surface, pleading an unspoken case for more chlorophyll-filled counterparts.
In the inner workings of the executive branch, the order also stands as a reaffirmation of former Mayor Megan Barry's tree-friendly directive, Executive Order #40. It puts various Metro departments – from Water and Sewerage Services to Transportation & Multimodal Infrastructure. The first 10 members of the new Sustainability Advisory Committee were confirmed by the Metro Council, gearing up to provide counsel on sustainability matters. Mayor O'Connell's rallying cry to residents: volunteer or plant a tree with Root Nashville and be the change in Nashville's leafscape.
