Equipping Communities for Tree Equity Action

At American Forests, Tree Equity is essential to advancing climate justice. Our goal is to empower and support local and frontline organizations in leading effective solutions. 

The Catalyst Initiative furthers Tree Equity by broadening the field of actors with capacity to act through best–in–class tools, resources and funding. 

Over the past five years, American Forests has led and mobilized a nationwide Tree Equity movement to address inequitable tree cover in cities and its life-or-death implications. Through this work, American Forests launched the Tree Equity Catalyst Initiative and helped unlock  $1.5 billion in financing for urban forestry from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) — the largest-ever federal investment in Tree Equity. Through this effort, we secured $50 million from the USDA Forest Service, Urban and Community Forestry Program to deploy in cash grants and technical assistance to frontline communities and leaders to drive community action toward equitable tree canopy in their communities.   

The Catalyst Initiative is a key part of American Forests’ goal to help at least 100 cities make meaningful progress on Tree Equity by 2030, by supporting frontline leaders in breaking barriers to the Tree Equity movement through: 

  1. Identifying and engaging city, frontline community and faith-based actors facing the greatest barriers to entry into the Tree Equity movement.  
  1. Providing no-cost technical assistance with American Forests’ Tree Equity tools and expertise.  
  1. Providing cash awards through the Catalyst Fund which, when paired with tailored technical assistance, can realize catalytic and sustained progress in Tree Equity for those facing barriers to entry. 

These investments are critical — according to American Forests’ renowned Tree Equity Score, lower-income communities tend to have 26% less tree cover and are almost 6°F hotter than wealthier ones. Communities of color— regardless of income — tend to have 38% less tree cover and are 13°F hotter than white communities. 

Catalyst Initiative Offerings

Photographs from Castle/Pier Fire scar in the Sequoia National Forest. American Forests is training a crew from the California Conservation Corp on restoration. Two crew members practice working with the tablets used for recording survey information., These photos were part of magazine reporting and photography project that took place in the Southern Sierra Nevada Mountains between June 1 and June 7, 2023. Photos depict: (1) Cone Camp, a regional training focused on building up cone surveying and restoration monitoring skills among foresters. During Cone Camp, a variety of experts presented on best techniques and practices for cone collection and demonstrated activities like tree climbing and cone cutting. (2) A burn scar in Sequoia National Forest created by the Rough Fire, where the land had been prepped and replanted with a mix of seedlings, including giant sequoias. Kat Barton, Caitlin Edelmuth, and Noé Romo Loera with American Forests, as well as Joshua Miller, demonstrated sequoia planting and manual release (clearing excess vegetation). (3) Surveying for natural regeneration on a burn scar in Sequoia National Forest created by the Castle Fire. Kat Barton, Caitlin Edelmuth, and Noé Romo Loera demonstrated how to survey for a group of forestry technicians with the California Conservation Corps. On this day, we also visited Alder Creek, property owned by the Save the Redwoods League, to visit the Stagg Tree. Timothy Borden can be seen talking about giant sequoias., These photos were part of magazine reporting and photography project that took place in the Southern Sierra Nevada Mountains between June 1 and June 7, 2023. Photos depict: (1) Cone Camp, a regional training focused on building up cone surveying and restoration monitoring skills among foresters. During Cone Camp, a variety of experts presented on best techniques and practices for cone collection and demonstrated activities like tree climbing and cone cutting. (2) A burn scar in Sequoia National Forest created by the Rough Fire, where the land had been prepped and replanted with a mix of seedlings, including giant sequoias. Kat Barton, Caitlin Edelmuth, and Noé Romo Loera with American Forests, as well as Joshua Miller, demonstrated sequoia planting and manual release (clearing excess vegetation). (3) Surveying for natural regeneration on a burn scar in Sequoia National Forest created by the Castle Fire. Kat Barton, Caitlin Edelmuth, and Noé Romo Loera demonstrated how to survey for a group of forestry technicians with the California Conservation Corps. On this day, we also visited Alder Creek, property owned by the Save the Redwoods League, to visit the Stagg Tree. Timothy Borden can be seen talking about giant sequoias., To learn more, read: https://www.americanforests.org/article/a-giant-task-fixing-californias-reforestation-pipeline/ Mark Janzen / American Forests
Technical Assistance
We provide learning and coaching opportunities and access to best-in-class tools and science in Tree Equity through our long-standing expertise in urban forestry science, workforce development, data-driven planning, and equitable community engagement.

DESCRIPTION Spring Planting Photos CREATOR Liz Putnam Liz Putnam
Catalyst Fund
We fund Tree Equity projects led by frontline, environmental justice, and under-served populations, and provide wrap-around technical support to help them advocate for, plant and steward trees where they are needed most.

*USDA and American Forests are equal opportunity providers and employers.* 

Join Our Tree Equity Movement

Stay connected to hear more about the Catalyst Initiative and our upcoming funding opportunities, events and ways to get involved.

Technical Assistance

Tree Equity Score

Tree Equity Score can be used by neighborhood organizations, U.S. congressional leaders and everybody in between. And it can be used by a variety of sectors, such as urban forestry and public health, given the role trees play in slowing climate change and improving health and wellbeing.

Vibrant Cities Lab

Interest in urban forestry is at an all-time high. Vibrant Cities Lab arms people with the most current and comprehensive resources related to greening cities. The dynamic website, managed by American Forests and the U.S. Forest Service, helps people create, implement and fund their urban forestry plans.

Tree Equity Learning Series

Watch our free online learning series to ensure your urban forestry investments make an impact on Tree Equity. This series is geared toward recipients of the USDA-Forest Service 2023 Urban and Community Forestry grant awards, an unprecedented national $1.5B investment in urban and community forestry, but open to all involved in urban and community forestry.