SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash. — Approximately 100 new street trees will be planted in the West Central and Bemiss neighborhoods in Spokane, as part of the SpoCanopy program. The trees will be planted by the Lands Council staff and the City Arborist.
The trees will be planted between Oct.11-13, with additional ones coming throughout the rest of the month.
The SpoCanopy program is a partnership between the City of Spokane Urban Forestry and The Lands Council. It aims to ensure that every person across Spokane has access to trees and their benefits.
The location where the trees will be planted was determined after Lands Council conducted an extensive outreach throughout the neighborhoods and identified places where trees were needed and where people could take care of them.
The funding for the trees comes from the Washington Department of Natural Resources Urban and Community Forestry Grant and a grant from the Department of Ecology. Avista, Townshend Winery and The Wander Project also contributed with funds to donate the trees.
During the spring season, 100 trees were planted through the program and 100 more will be planted this fall. Residents don't need to pay for the trees.
SpoCanopy's goal is to have 30% canopy coverage for every neighborhood in Spokane by 2030. Priority locations include northeast neighborhoods, which currently have the fewest trees and lowest canopy coverage.
Trees provide a wide variety of benefits, such as stormwater mitigation, providing habitat for wildlife, and increasing property values. Trees also help to boost immune systems by reducing area pollution and air-borne particles. Some studies have shown that spending time in nature and around trees can reduce stress.
Residents can sign up for a free street tree by visiting the Lands Council’s webpage. The planting location must be within the city of Spokane limits and within the right-of-way, which is the planting strip or the space behind a sidewalk in some neighborhoods.
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