Migrants will participate in Aurora reforestation

COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION| Xochitl Torres, US Undersecretary of Agriculture, and Ricardo Gambetta, Aurora Office of International and Immigrant Affairs, spoke with leaders of migrant communities.

AURORA RECEIVES 5 MILLION DOLLARS TO PLANT TREES

Newsroom El Comercio de Colorado

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Xochitl Torres, US Undersecretary of Agriculture, visited Colorado to announce a historic investment that will expand equitable access to green spaces in the city of Aurora, in the Denver metropolitan area. Torres indicated that this important allocation forms part of President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act to expand equitable access to trees and green spaces throughout the country.

Torres assures that the initiative to promote the planting of trees facilitates climate resilience. “It has been proven that increasing the number of trees in urban areas can reduce the temperature by between 11 and 19 degrees,” said Torres. The official also added that they hope that this program also guarantees environmental justice. Aurora will allocate part of the trees to underserved areas with large immigrant and refugee populations.

Promote equity

The city bulletin indicates that the resources granted by the Forest Service of the United States Department of Agriculture will support the “Reinvestment in Aurora Urban Trees for Social Equity and Climate Resilience” program. This is a joint project between the City of Aurora Department of Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces and the Office of International and Immigrant Affairs.

As the most diverse city in Colorado, Aurora has large immigrant and refugee communities, and many of these communities reside in areas with the oldest trees and many available planting spaces. “By focusing the program on these areas, the city of Aurora will promote equity, improve urban trees, improve public health and foster environmental resilience,” the bulletin states.

Connect residents to their trees

Aurora will connect residents to the trees in their neighborhood. “We will connect our residents to their neighborhood trees and provide accessible services and education to all of our underserved neighborhoods that have limited access to green spaces, parks and trees. I look forward to seeing the benefits that renewing neighborhood trees will have on our community now and in the future,” said Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman.

The city will also encourage community participation with tree planting events led by the Office of International and Immigrant Affairs (OAII). As part of this effort, a meeting took place between the Undersecretary of Agriculture, Ricardo Gambetta, director of the OAII, and leaders of minority, migrant, and communities of color residents of Aurora.

See message from Xochitl Torres

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