Developing an Urban Forest Plan for Providence, RI

Project Partner: The Nature Conservancy and Providence Neighborhood Planting Program, Summer 2019

Project Summary: Urban forests play a critical role in cities’ sustainability goals by reducing polluted stormwater runoff, improving air quality, mitigating heat and noise, and providing places for recreation and community. Working with The Nature Conservancy and Providence Neighborhood Planting Program, Paige supported the early development of an Urban Forest Plan for the City of Providence, Rhode Island by aggregating, managing, and organizing data from numerous governmental and non-governmental sources. In doing so, Paige helped identify areas of highest need for increased tree canopy based on environmental, health and social data while ensuring an equitable distribution of an urban tree canopy. Paige identified the data needed to achieve those aims so as to advance the sustainability goals of Providence.

Project Deliverables: Policy Brief looking at an Urban Forest Plan with a Focus on Equity