In April 2023, American Forests and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) launched the Washington State Tree Equity Collaborative, the first statewide partnership to achieve Tree Equity. The Collaborative aims to expand and fortify neighborhood tree canopy cover by engaging cities, community organizations and stakeholders to build more rigorous and inclusive urban forestry programs across the state over a period of three years.
DNR is using American Forests’ Tree Equity Score tool to prioritize expanding equitable tree cover in the neighborhoods that need it most, as 85% of urbanized neighborhoods in the Evergreen State have inadequate tree cover. Through the partnership, American Forests will expand Tree Equity Score to cover all Washington cities, and DNR will work with jurisdictions, Tribes, nonprofits and other partners to raise all urban census block groups to a score of 75 or higher.
Resources
Visit DNR’s Urban Forestry webpage to learn more about the state’s programs and sign up for updates through the TreeLink newsletter. Explore national urban forestry resources through American Forests’ Research and Reports page and explore local urban and community forestry resources through Vibrant Cities Lab.
Tree Equity Collaborative Steering Committee
| Name | Title | Entity |
|---|---|---|
| Zandria Michaud | Kent City Councilperson | Association of Washington Cities Kent City Council UCF Advisory Council Member |
| Mike Carey | City Forester | City of Tacoma |
| Megan Dunn | Snohomish County Councilperson | Snohomish County Council Washington Association of Counties UCF Advisory Council Member |
| Taldi Harrison | Director, Community & Government Affairs | REI Co-op |
| Lilliane Ballesteros | Executive Director | Latino Community Fund |
| Jillisa Winkler | Program Coordinator | Carl Maxey Center |
| Amanda Parish | Executive Director | The Lands Council |
| Hannah Kett | Cities Program Manager | The Nature Conservancy |
| Lowell Wyse | Executive Director | Tacoma Tree Foundation |
| Phil Bennett | Superintendent, Stormwater & Urban Forestry Division | City of Snoqualmie |
| Emma Greenwood | Forest Ecologist | Spokane Tribe |
| Lauren Jenks | Assistant Secretary | Washington State Department of Health |
| Jaime Martin | Executive Director, Governmental Affairs & Special Projects | Snoqualmie Tribe |
Interested in learning more about the Washington State Tree Equity Collaborative? Contact DNR Policy Director Csenka Favorini-Csorba or American Forests Director of Local Government Relations Eric Candela.
The Washington State Tree Equity Collaborative will be hosting gatherings focused on providing technical assistance, providing data to be used for prioritization of resources to support the goal of Tree Equity in every neighborhood, and to provide space for creative collaborations. Updates will be posted on this webpage – stay tuned for upcoming opportunities.
