City and county officials will create lush tree canopies and electrify fleets to enhance the environment in 2024

This year, governments (including cities and counties) will promote abundant tree covers for their communities, says Michael Austin, senior associate at Cooper Robertson, a New York-based international architecture and urban design firm.

“Tree canopy campaigns are becoming increasingly vital as communities face recurring challenges from extreme heat. Neighborhoods with robust tree canopies offer numerous benefits compared to areas dominated by impermeable surfaces,” Austin explains. He adds that different parts of the U.S. can benefit: “Increasing tree canopy coverage, especially in regions like the Southwest and Northwest, can be a cost-effective strategy with a significant impact.” In the past Austin served as chair of the Seattle Planning Commission. This World Economic Forum paper points out why urban areas need more tree cover.

Trees, for instance, can lower heat levels naturally in dense, highly developed areas. Tree cover can help reduce energy consumption as well as decrease heat-island effects. Trees and other vegetation can potentially harness carbon dioxide for current as well as everlasting growth. They use carbon dioxide from the environment for photosynthesis. Trees can produce hydrocarbons that aid in germination. In some ways, trees help remove carbon dioxide from the surrounding atmosphere. A diverse tree cover protects overall biodiversity in an area. This includes animals, insects and natural vegetation and plants in the habitat.

Austin notes how Bellevue, Wash., has had success in improving the environment with its tree cover initiatives. “Bellevue conducted a study as part of its Environmental Stewardship Plan to assess impervious surface distribution, a major contributor to the urban heat island effect, across the city. They then overlaid this data with tree canopy coverage to identify districts where increasing tree canopy could effectively mitigate the urban heat island effect. This approach not only reduces energy consumption but also improves overall air quality.” Austin says it is important for city officials, as part of their tree cover plans, to select tree species that are resilient to changing environmental conditions.

Austin says 2024 will be the year when some local governments switch their fleets from internal combustion engines to alternative fuels, including electric. “Fleet electrification continues to be a big trend and offers the chance to have a visible demonstration of a community’s priorities.” He adds that if a jurisdiction’s infrastructure can accommodate electrification, then it’s a great way to reduce emissions within a community. He urges city-county officials to electrify their government fleets and to keep promoting carpool programs to help reduce carbon emissions.

The Cooper Robertson executive urges city-county officials to create a “complete communities” playbook/strategy with measurable goals for economic development, well-being and positive environmental outcomes. He believes such a tool could aid in urban planning as well as help the community achieve sustainability goals.

Austin believes a city’s playbook/strategy should prioritize walkable/wheeled access to goods and services. He notes that this will help ensure a safe and (most-importantly) enjoyable environment that reduces the preference for car use. “When it comes to planning strategies for promoting sustainable, walkable access to goods and services, I prefer the term ‘complete communities’ over ‘15-minute city,’ as it avoids the misconception that all cities must have the same density as Paris (which is by-far the most densely populated city in France), making it easier to garner support from community partners.” Austin’s conclusion: “The fewer cars on the road, the fewer emissions overall.”

Austin points to Seattle’s initiatives in this area: “The Seattle Planning Commission developed a set of criteria for “transit communities” that was integrated into Seattle’s 2035 Comprehensive Plan to support more livable communities at much-smaller scales (including neighborhood centers and urban centers) that can be much more achievable.”

Austin offers the following advice to city planners and officials: “Start small by piloting limited-access streets (similar to closing spaces for farmers markets and festivals) or maintaining the limited-access streets that may continue coming out of the pandemic.”

Here are examples of some of Cooper Robertson’s project work. The urban design and architecture company has completed a variety of sustainability assignments.

OMNIA Partners offers a robust portfolio of cooperative contracts in the public procurement space. The company lists dozens of cooperative contracts under the keyword “sustainability.”

Michael Keating is senior editor for American City & County. Contact him at [email protected].