It's Richmond Tree Week!
This would be a *great* time to enact a protective Tree Removal Permit for trees on private property 4" in diameter or greater.
Did you know our city lost 25% of our trees in just the last decade?
That's not good for our health, water absorption, air quality, heat mitigation, and resiliency.
(And wouldn't it be nice to replace weed/invasive with native?)
The Chesapeake Bay Program's just-released "Tree Cover Fact Sheet in Richmond, VA" shows we only have 5,526 acres of forest left. (What was it in 2015 then? 7,368 acres. Wow. In 2008, our city's tree canopy covered 42% of our land. In 2018, 32%. In 2025, the average community now has 23.51%.)
Now explore Richmond's public forest acreage: the James River Park System has 600 acres, Forest Hill Park has 104, Carillon Woods is 24. Richmond National Battlefield Park's Chimborazo, the only parcel in our city, does not contain forest. Maymont, Ancarrow, Pony Pasture and other forest areas add in about 150.
Let's do math. (I am horrible at math.)
5,676 - 878ish... that leaves 4798... Wait. Does that mean EIGHTY-FIVE PERCENT OF RICHMOND'S FORESTS ARE RESIDENTIAL?????
REAL sustainability starts by cherishing soil... even on residential lots.
Urge City Council/zoning to enact a protective Tree Removal Permit for trees on private property 4" in diameter or greater. How will we ever achieve the Richmond 300 goal of 60% tree canopy coverage if we don't protect our residential trees?
Are you willing to throw away trees to zoning's Code Refresh, reducing ANY yard percentages? We need to guard any trees still here... and grow more!
#RVA #AmenitySpaceIsConcreteNotSoil #SaveOurYards #SaveOurTrees #RichmondTreeWeek #RVAgreen #CodeRefresh
Tree Cover Graphic: Chesapeake Bay Program Tree Cover Fact Sheet for Richmond, VA