NeighborWoods Street Tree Program Provides Value to Community

Jayne Kirkpatrick, Director, Public Affairs

Prepared by: Michael Williams, Assistant Director, Public Affairs

 

For more information: Zach Manor, Tree Planting Coordinator, 919-996-4868

 

November 6, 2012 

 

NeighborWoods Street Tree Program

Provides Value to Community

 

 

During its regular meeting on November 6, the Raleigh City Council received the annual report on the activities of the Raleigh NeighborWoods Street Tree Program during fiscal year 2011-2012.

 

The NeighborWoods program was launched by the City in 2003 as an effort to enrich Raleigh’s urban forest. Trees are delivered at no cost to citizens, in exchange for their voluntary commitment to plant the trees in the public right-of-way, and to water and mulch them.

 

Based on the nationally recognized National Tree Benefit Calculator, trees planted under the NeighborWoods program provide the City an annual cost savings of $256,183 in reduced storm water management, increased air quality, reduced energy costs, increased property values and sequestration of CO2. Total cost savings to the City since the 2003 launch of the program are estimated to be $963,144.

 

The program has delivered 13,261 trees of 23 different tree species to date, 16 of which are species native to North Carolina. More than 1,550 high-quality trees well suited to Raleigh’s urban environment were delivered in the report year. Citizens are also provided with the support and education necessary to assure the highest tree survival rate possible. The overall tree survival rate is 71.42 percent.

 

Due to the success of the program, which has resulted in limited opportunities for placement of trees in neighborhoods, a new goal of delivering 1,500 trees in alternate years has been announced. The focus in other years will be on tree maintenance; including tree pruning, root collar excavation, health assessment data collection and replacement. All requests for trees will be honored in maintenance years. NeighborWoods is the City’s sole source of tree planting on public property in residential sections of Raleigh.

 

NeighborWoods was instrumental in Raleigh being selected as a Siemens Sustainable Community, which included an award of $20,000 for trees planted in and around Chavis Way. NeighborWoods received an Urban and Community Forestry grant in 2010.

 

NeighborWoods is funded by a combination of revenues from grants, private donations, urban timber permit sales and corporate donations.

 

For more information on the Raleigh NeighborWoods Street Tree Program, visit www.raleighnc.gov and enter “NeighborWoods” in the search window. Or contact the tree planting coordinator at trees@raleighnc.gov or call 919-996-4115.

 

 

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