Urban Forestry

Urban Forestry in the H-GAC Region

It is the goal of H-GAC's regional urban forestry program to improve the health and diversity of the region's urban forests and increase public awareness about the environmental benefits of trees in the urban setting. The program seeks to integrate urban forestry data into other planning efforts, like H-GAC's Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan, and to develop and implement urban forestry planning projects that identify and prioritize urban forestry conservation and restoration efforts across the region. The program relies heavily upon cooperation from local municipalities and governments and includes opportunities for public education and community-based volunteer opportunities.

Houston Area Urban Forests Project

As part of the regional urban forestry program, H-GAC is working with the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, Inc and American Forests to evaluate regional urban forestry goals and highlight priority reforestation sites in the greater Houston area. This project is a collaboration with local partners involved in managing the area’s urban forests. More information can be found at www.houstonforests.com.

Community Trees

A tree planting program in a small city could produce improved air quality benefits for the region while increasing the amount of greenspace for local citizens and habitat for local wildlife. H-GAC can provide technical and financial assistance to cities, counties and non-profit organizations seeking to increase the number and diversity of trees in their communities. The Community Trees Grant Program is designed to provide small amounts of funding to purchase trees for community-based plantings in parks, public gathering places, and community gateways.

Benefits of Trees

Trees provide a host of benefits to our region: they store $721 million worth of carbon, generate $109 worth of environmental benefits per person per year, save $90 per household in energy costs per year and remove more than 60,000 tons of air pollution per year. Please see our Urban Forestry Publications under "Environmental Stewardship" for more information.