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An Environmental Justice Effort

SHADE AND FRUIT TREES | Planting a tree in a Denver neighborhood, Colorado. (Photos/El Comercio de Colorado)

TREE PLANTIN PROGRAM IN DENVER AND AURORA

Aura Travieso / El Comercio de Colorado

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Américas For Conservation & the Arts (AFCA) and CREA Results, in collaboration with the Denver Office of Climate Resilience Sustainability (CASR) and the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE), are advancing a massive tree planting program in neighborhoods of Denver and Aurora. This program, which will extend until 2025, aims primarily to cool urban areas lacking vegetation, known as “Heat Islands.”

In these zones, temperatures are often significantly higher due to the lack of trees. Irene Vilar, executive director of AFCA, explained that tree planting is a nature-based solution to prepare vulnerable communities for global warming. “We are working on this environmental justice project so that disadvantaged communities have the necessary tree canopy to mitigate rising heat,” Vilar commented.

TAKING ACTION | Irene Vilar, director of AFCA.

Fruit and Shade Trees

“The selection of tree species is meticulous and is done in collaboration with Arbor Valley nursery and experts from Colorado State University (CSU). Primarily, shade trees [80%] and fruit trees [20%] are planted, selected for their ability to adapt to the semi-arid climate of the Denver metropolitan area. Currently, this tree planting effort is concentrated in specific areas. However, this project will extend from the fall of 2024 until 2029,” said Vilar.

Residents of Denver and Aurora can request the planting of up to three trees at their homes and up to six at schools. To receive a tree, residents must participate in the educational process and commit to caring for the trees during the first three years. This includes attending workshops and following care instructions provided by planting brigades. AFCA and CREA green promoters inform families about the benefits of adopting a tree.

Watering the Trees

Fernando Pineda, from CREA Results, emphasizes the importance of initial care for planted trees. “When we plant the trees, we massage the roots to wake them up and adapt them to their new environment. In the first six months, it is crucial to maintain consistent watering to ensure healthy growth. Within a few years, these will be lush trees providing shade and, in many cases, bearing fruit,” explained Pineda.

“This program not only seeks to improve quality of life and the urban environment but also to foster an emotional connection between residents and nature, thereby strengthening the sense of community and environmental responsibility,” concludes Vilar.

Learn About This Program

For more information and details on how to participate, interested parties can visit the AFCA website:

https://www.afcanatura.org/communityt-tree-planting

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