Time to Talk Trees in Richmond

It may come as no surprise that tree canopy in the City of Richmond is shrinking. The rate at which it’s shrinking, however, may come as a surprise. The Chesapeake Conservancy’s Chesapeake Innovation Center released tree canopy data in July that indicates the City of Richmond lost 199 acres of tree cover between 2014-2021, bringing the total of land area with tree cover to just 32%.

This is far from the 60% tree canopy coverage by 2050 that is the goal of the City’s Richmond 300 master plan and based on the 2010 Chesapeake Bay Program urban tree canopy assessment. Richmond’s tree canopy was modeled at 42% back then. Did we really lose nearly 25% of our tree canopy in a decade? How much of that loss is due to climate change? How much is due to development?

While there is always debate about differences in methodology, either way it’s clear that we need to amplify the importance of trees and the investments we are making in them.

I am not a scientist, journalist, spatial analysis expert, nor an urban forestry wizard. I just care about the trees and find this report alarming. It makes sense to use it as the backdrop for talking about the efforts of the Capital Region Land Conservancy and many other organizations that care for the trees. It’s also a moment to reflect on how you can get involved.

While the planting of new trees is something I personally love doing as a volunteer and supporting whenever possible, CRLCs’ expertise is in protecting the forests and trees that are already established. Certainly, CRLC facilitates tree plantings and reforestation efforts on our conserved lands, but its core competency is in acquiring land and placing land under permanent conservation easements.

Since its founding in 2005, Capital Region Land Conservancy has protected almost 500 acres within the City of Richmond. Some of this has been purchased directly, some of this has been donated, and almost all of this prohibits the commercial harvesting of trees. Public land projects include the following: James River Park System, Dock Street Park, Mayo’s Island, Brander Street, Bandy Field Nature Park. However, CRLC has also protected approximately 25 acres of private land under conservation easement within the city limits. Plus, we have an exciting acquisition to be announced soon!

No matter how badly someone wants to develop these sites, we know, without a doubt, that these trees are legally protected forever. It’s what helped earn the James River Park System the honorary designation and inclusion into the national Old-Growth Forest Network in 2019, just the 7th in the state of Virginia. The significance of this is that trees, many of which have grown to over 100-years old, in their natural habitat are far likelier to thrive further into the future. AND conserving the forest is extremely cost effective compared to the cost to plant and maintain street trees that suffer high mortality rates and lack forest symbiosis due to their isolation.

Protecting forests through acquisitions and conservation easements is a crucial element to a thriving tree canopy, and no other organization in the City of Richmond is doing it like Capital Region Land Conservancy. Yet partners in local groups such as Capital Trees, Richmond Tree Stewards, Friends of the James River Park’s Invasive Plant Task Force, James River Association, and the Cool the City Coalition (made up of Southside Releaf, Groundwork RVA, Happily Natural, and Virginia Interfaith Power and Light) are contributing greatly by planting more trees  and helping maintain the trees we have.

Along with all of these groups, CRLC is taking part in Reforest Richmond’s 6^th Annual Richmond Tree Week, where you can get your hands dirty while making a difference. It is also a great opportunity for you to connect, stand up, and speak for the trees.

Richmond Tree Week will take place from Saturday, November 1 to Saturday, November 8 as a weeklong event series celebrating the efforts of both the City of Richmond and the strong web of nonprofits all working around the year to care for and expand our tree canopy. From tree plantings in Jackson Ward to DPW’s Tree Plan Pop Up, there is something for everyone. On November 4 at 6:00pm at First Baptist Church (2709 Monument Avenue, Richmond VA 23220), CRLC will be hosting author Mike Tidwell for a talk about his recent book The Lost Trees of Willow Avenue. RSVP for this free event!

As the need for housing grows, it becomes more and more important that this moment is met with a serious solution to protect more of our existing trees… and to plant and maintain a lot more. Yet despite the recent declines in the tree canopy, there are reasons to think the City of Richmond is indeed taking it seriously.

In 2024, the City launched the Cool the City Coalition and has already planted over 580 trees and shrubs, engaged over 510 community members and created 5 new green jobs. In the coming months, the Department of Public Works’ Urban Forestry Division will be engaging the public on what it wants to see out of a master plan for trees. The planning department’s Code Refresh is also underway to overhaul the city’s zoning code, which presents an opportunity to protect forested spaces. With these, the City is asking for us to engage in its policy and planning as it relates to the tree canopy and how we tackle issues such as clean air, clean water, and urban heat islands. We should seize this opportunity to sure up strategies on how we will meet the 60% urban tree canopy goal. Then we must act to reverse recent trends.

All of the photographs featured are of CRLC protected lands within the City of Richmond.