THE LEAFLET

December 27, 2021 /
Jona Elwell

Your New Year’s Resolutions Can Also Help Urban Forests

Personal New Year’s resolutions can make urban forests better too. Using public spaces, joining in on public discussions, and buying local are all things people can do to contribute to a better city *and* a better urban forest.

Things you do to make your cities better, also make our lives better and vice versa. It’s mutually beneficial! You don’t have to make sweeping changes either.

  • Shop local: Shop at your friendly neighborhood urban forestry nonprofit! Our online store has masks, virtual tree adoptions, tees, hats, water bottles, insulated mugs, and more. Best of all? Every purchase goes directly back towards our mission.
  • Get active: Plan a walk, jog, or bike ride around our Trees Near Me Map that contains practically every tree we have data for – trees that the city has planted in street tree spots, trees we’ve inventoried as part of our Park Inventory program, and trees we’ve planted at our Community and School Tree Plantings.
  • Read more: We have a list of books featuring trees in clever ways!
  • Learn something new: Try our virtual class series, Your City, Your Trees! It will introduce you to the history of trees in Washington, teach you about the importance of greenery in a city, highlight urban trees in a new light, and most of all, show how you can leave a lasting, positive impact on our urban forest.
  • Spend more quality family time: Check out our list of tree-based mental health breaks. Screens are great, but trees? The mental health benefits of spending near trees has been scientifically proven!
  • Make an impact in your community: One way to learn the ins and outs of our city government is through our Advocacy Portal. Learn to speak up for a lot of things you care about, including urban trees.
  • Pledge to defend our planet: Whether you help mitigate stormwater runoff by planting a tree through RiverSmart Homes, pledge to water young trees to help them survive the summer, or become an Evergreen Member to solidify your commitment to our city’s urban forest, you can make a difference.

Whatever you decide to do in 2022, we can help you make it happen.

Article photo courtesy angela n. via Flickr.