Plan for Healthier and Greener Community Trees in Beltzhoover
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
A SPECIAL THANKS...
Tree Pittsburgh extends its heartfelt gratitude to everyone who participated in the ReLeaf Beltzhoover planning process. From the dedicated steering committee to the enthusiastic volunteers and residents who generously shared their insights through surveys or participated in implementation projects, your contributions have been instrumental in shaping a vision for a greener and healthier Beltzhoover
Tree Pittsburgh has also been a partner in multiple community events. We would also like to thank our partners from the City of Pittsburgh, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Resilient Cities Catalyst, UrbanKind Institute, FroGang Foundation, Beltzhoover Consensus Group, Beltzhoover Community Council, Student Conservation Association, Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, and many more. Thank you for all your contributions and time in this planning process!
This plan was made possible through a generous grant from the Hillman Foundation
BELTZHOOVER RESIDENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS
Annette McClain | Beulah Baptist Church, Health Ministry
Davis King | Beulah Baptist Church, Health Ministry
Dena Freeman | Beulah Baptist Church, Health Ministry
Gordon Hodnett | Beltzhoover Resident and Gardener
Jennifer Cash Wade | Beltzhoover Resident, Beltzhoover Consensus Group
Kelli Shakur | FroGang Foundation | Beulah Baptist Church
La’Mont Davis | Beulah Baptist Church, Health Ministry
Matthew Ransom | Beulah Baptist Church, Health Ministry
Nicole Stephens | Beltzhoover Consensus Group
Sonja Marien | Beulah Baptist Church, Health Ministry
CITY OF PITTSBURGH
Lisa Coeffe | City Forester, City of Pittsburgh
Michael Kelley | Utility Coordination Arborist
Thomas Scharff | Senior Planner (Strategic Planning)
TREE PITTSBURGH
Clara Kitongo | Tree Equity Manager
Danielle Crumrine | Executive Director
Kelsey Munsick | Volunteer Manager
Nsai Temko | ACC AmeriCorps Member
Surya Lee | Community Outreach Coordinator
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
A key recommendation in the 2012 City of Pittsburgh Urban Forest Master Plan is to increase tree canopy in lower-canopy neighborhoods by connecting and engaging the community.
In 2014, Tree Pittsburgh worked with two neighborhoods (Manchester/Chateau and Lawrenceville) to expand programming and create a community plan specific to the neighborhoods’ needs and visions. Creating a neighborhood-level community forestry plan allows residents and other partners to address challenges and opportunities in tree canopy distribution at the local level
In 2022, Tree Pittsburgh, local partners, and community leaders launched the ReLeaf Beltzhoover planning process with funding from the Hillman F
The ReLeaf Beltzhoover plan aims to improve residents' quality of life by providing a roadmap with a priority list of projects to increase the neighborhood's tree canopy and resident participation in tree care and educational activities The plan calls for various action items to restore and protect Beltzhoover’s community trees, with youth engagement as a fundamental anchoring point for consideration during future project implementation in the neighborhood It also presents a roadmap for increasing tree canopy coverage.
WHY BELTZHOOVER?
Despite trends showing a steady decline in community population from the 1950s through 2020, community members have a strong sense of pride in the neighborhood. They have shared their memories of how Beltzhoover used to have more commercial activity and amenities, and thriving community fruit trees where children could play and gather fruit to eat as they walked through the neighborhood Residents have a strong desire to return to a community with a rich array of community amenities and assets A housing-related planning report noted there used to be a "grocery store, bakery, shoe repair shop, multiple corner stores, dry cleaners, barber shops, hair salons, doctors, dentists, attorneys," and an excellent, well-reputed school (Beltzhoover Elementary School)
The neighborhood had a farming history until the 1860s when it transitioned to a residential area. The neighborhood's demographics evolved from primarily German to predominantly African-American and Italian residents over time.¹
In 2010, 1,925 people lived in Beltzhoover 83 3 percent were Black or African American, and 9.9 percent were White.²
In 2020, the population decreased to 1,604 1,180 are Black, 188 are White, 7 are Native American, 14 are Asian, 71 identify as other, 144 identify as two or more races, and 92 identify as Hispanic or Latino ³
Trends show a decline in the total and racial population sizes from 2010 to 2020
Population Trends in Beltzhoover
¹Pittsburgh Beautiful, “Pittsburgh Neighborhoods: History of Beltzhoover”, https://www pittsburghbeautiful com/2017/04/11/pittsburgh-neighborhoods-beltzhoover/, last viewed 11/29/23
² Western Pennsylvania Region Data Center, “City of Pittsburgh Neighborhood Population 2020,” https://data wprdc org/dataset/2020-census-redistricting-data-extracts/resource/a8414ed5-c50f-417e-bb67-82b734660da6?inner span=True, last viewed, 4/16/24
³ Source: https://data wprdc org/dataset/2020-census-redistricting-data-extracts/resource/a8414ed5-c50f-417e-bb67-82b734660da6?inner span=True and Source 2: https://ucsur pitt edu/files/center/1977/beltzhoover%20PNA%201977 pdf
WHY BELTZHOOVER (CONT’D.)
With a population of 1,604 as of the 2020 US Census, the neighborhood has only one street tree per every 16 residents (or one street tree per every nine residents if all inventoried sites were planted), lower than the Pittsburgh average of one tree per every 9 residents (or one street tree per every eight residents if all inventoried sites were planted) ⁴
Beltzhoover’s topography and transportation routes impact the neighborhood Route 51, the Liberty Tunnel, the Liberty Bridge, and various bus routes provide vital connections for Beltzhoover residents with Downtown Pittsburgh and its surroundings. However, this accessibility comes at a cost: the heavy traffic along these routes contributes to poor air quality in the neighborhood, especially for residents closest to these routes.
Beltzhoover is part of Pittsburgh's South Hilltop with ties to neighboring Knoxville and Allentown. It is also close to Mt. Washington, Bon Air, and others. The Hilltop Alliance organization operates in the South Hilltop, and Beltzhoover community members are linked to it Additional community organizations, including The Beltzhoover Consensus Group, Beltzhoover Community Council, and Knoxville Community Council, have overlapping membership/attendance in meetings which strengthen connections between all communities
Furthermore, some sections of the neighborhood are experiencing more extreme temperature-related challenges on hot summer days, especially areas in the northeast corner of the neighborhood, which also have less tree canopy cover, as seen on the map “Heat and Tree Cover in Beltzhoover ” These challenges can be tackled with strategic tree planting and site preparation
⁴ Street Tree Management Plan https://waterlandlife org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Pittsburgh-Management-Plan pdf
WHY BELTZHOOVER (CONT’D.)
Beltzhoover is effectively split into two by varying elevations, creating challenges for stormwater management Consequently, residents living in lower-lying areas are at risk of flooding during periods of heavy rainfall.
The Pittsburgh Shade Tree Commission’s Equitable Street Tree Investment Strategy identified low-income and low-canopy neighborhoods in Pittsburgh. This strategy aimed to increase tree canopy in these neighborhoods and ensure that the tree coverage is equitably distributed throughout the city.⁵ That same strategy identified key action steps once neighborhoods were identified for participation, including but not limited to:
Conducting tree maintenance
Developing campaigns to increase community support for tree planting
Coordinating tree planting plans with ForgingPGH and neighborhood planning efforts
Increasing tree plantings
Beltzhoover was one of the first 10 neighborhoods selected by the Shade Tree Commission for Phase I implementation because of current trends in tree canopy cover and other environmental challenges also mentioned. This plan aims to build upon the action steps in the investment strategy and provide a roadmap for future greening efforts in Beltzhoover
⁵ Pittsburgh Shade Tree Commission, Equitable Street Tree Investment Strategy, 2021, https://apps pittsburghpa gov/redtail/images/13230 final
STEERING COMMITTEE
Th S i C i f hi l i i l d k ers from the community and a select group ghborhood We would like to thank the t:
Annette McClain
Davis King
Dena Freeman
Gordon Hodnett
Jennifer Cash Wade
Kelli Shakur
La’Mont Davis
Matthew Ransom
Nicole Stephens
Sonja Marien
Steering Committee meetings were also held throughout the ReLeaf planning process so that committee members could discuss critical issues to address within the plan. Together, we planned and supported different events, including:
Tree planting events in the neighborhood
Tree Tender training for residents
Tree care events, which included pruning and mulching days
Tree Identification Walks in the neighborhood
Educational programming with youth groups in the neighborhood
Attending community events
Tree Adoptions in 2023 and 2024
RELEAF PLANNING PROCESS
The development of a ReLeaf plan includes examining the community forest through the lens of these four questions: What do we have?
do we want? How do we get there? How are we doing?
Through using tree inventory data from City partners, survey collection by door-knocking and sending mailers to residents, attending community events, tree plantings, tree care activities, and tree adoption events, our team works to understand the community tree canopy's current condition and the attitudes of community members surrounding trees.
Our engagement and planning efforts in Beltzhoover include but are not limited to the following:
Identify primary community engagement partners and work with them to establish relationships with individuals and community groups to support the steering committee.
Conduct quarterly meetings with the steering committee members
Create and distribute a survey to assess residents' attitudes towards trees and general tree canopy health in Beltzhoover
Survey community stakeholders through mailers and door-knocking.
Engage within the community throughout the planning process by offering Tree Adoptions, tree planting, and tree care events in the neighborhood
Conduct tree site assessments with community residents, City Foresters, and arborists from Western Pennsylvania
Conservancy and Tree Pittsburgh to identify potential tree locations in the neighborhood.
WHAT DO WE HAVE?
STATE OF BELTZHOOVER’S COMMUNITY TREES
Beltzhoover has a relatively high overall tree cover compared to other Pittsburgh neighborhoods. This is largely due to the neighborhood's high coverage of park space, McKinley Park.
The overall tree canopy cover in Beltzhoover is 48 88 percent, compared to the citywide average of 42 percent. However, the number of street trees in Beltzhoover is still lower than expected compared to the street tree planting potential. Additionally, parts of the neighborhood experience the effects of the higher number of trees due to their proximity to vacant lots with native and invasive trees or adjacency to McKinley Park. In contrast, other residents experience even more severe impacts of heat while living in shade deserts
WHATDO WEHAVE?
URBAN TREE CANOPY DATA
Reviewing and analyzing the Urban Tree Canopy (UTC) data is the first step in the ReLeaf planning process This type of analysis allows stakeholders to understand the current state of the tree canopy and set goals for maintaining and growing their community forest
Beltzhoover’s tree canopy coverage rose from 49.06 percent in 2015 to 50 35 percent in 2020 Out of the 270 acres of Beltzhoover, 114 48 acres have been found to have tree canopy coverage. While the canopy coverage is higher than the city average, a large portion of the canopy is concentrated in the 79 acres of McKinley Park Trees provide numerous benefits to the community, but having the canopy coverage in a concentrated area restricts some of those benefits, such as stormwater management, from benefiting all residents in the neighborhood
The map to the right depicts changes in Beltzhoover tree coverage between 2015 and 2020. The loss of canopy coverage appears to be evenly distributed throughout the neighborhood
PARKS, GREENWAYS, AND OTHER COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACES
As mentioned previously, Beltzhoover has relatively good park coverage. Established in 1898, McKinley Park is home to many historic trees and has welcomed numerous plantings and park improvement projects This community resource connects visitors to nature and provides playgrounds, a skate park, sports courts, and a community building
Planting trees along the parks' sides would greatly improve parkgoers' conditions while increasing the neighborhood tree count Potential gains in park coverage could be made by converting abandoned or City-owned lots into parks distributed throughout residential portions of the neighborhood to create a more equitable distribution of resources and tree cover. The neighborhood lacks greenways, but the need for greenways is lesser than the need for increased street trees in Beltzhoover
Community members also gather in other third spaces like the Beltzhooover Community Center and the Warrington Recreation Center The Beltzhoover Community Center also hosts a garden on Gearing Avenue. The success of these spaces comes from community members and community-based organizations. A small parklet near the Beltzhoover Community Center also features benches and a paved walking path Other community greenspaces include Bey Garden, Unified Positive Effect Garden, and the garden at Beulah Baptist Church
STREET TREES
As of a 2010 Street Tree Inventory, Beltzhoover currently has 172 inventoried street tree locations Of these 172 locations, 95 have trees planted, 53 are vacant, 20 have been listed as unsuitable for tree planting, and stumps occupy four sites With a population of 1,604 as of the 2020 US Census, the neighborhood has only one street tree per every 16 residents (or one street tree per every nine residents if all inventoried sites were planted), substantially lower than the national average of one tree per three residents
In 2023, Tree Pittsburgh and Western PA Conservancy collaborated with community partners from the FroGang Foundation, UrbanKind Institute, Resilient Cities Catalyst, Beulah Baptist Church’s Health Ministry, and the City of Pittsburgh to conduct street tree plantings on Michigan Street (5 trees) and Climax Street (27 trees) An additional 20 trees were planted in Summer 2024 in adjacent streets. These areas were identified using surface temperature maps, calling them the hottest in the neighborhood
A proactive campaign to replant trees in vacant planting locations could double the number of street trees and bring the neighborhood closer to the national average Additionally, a scouting campaign to identify areas where vacant sites were not recorded or where sidewalk repairs would allow for new trees to be installed ⁶
⁶ Beltzhoover Tree Equity Report, Pittsburgh Shade Tree Commission, page 3
STREET TREES SPECIES
COMPOSITION
Beltzhoover has trees from 21 species across 16 different genera. Three of the top five most commonly occurring street tree species (little leaf linden, norway maple, and red maple) exceeded the recommended ten percent stocking density for a biodiverse forest At the genus level, maple and little leaf linden exceed the 20 percent biodiversity threshold, and only one family contains more than 30 percent of the tree in the neighborhood. This is a close-to-ideal starting position for urban forest management, as future plantings can be done in a biodiverse manner without creating issues where all the trees of a certain species are in the same age group due to planting moratoria to prevent overstocking.
TOP FIVE SPECIES
Littleleaf Linden
Norway Maple
Red Maple
Japanese Zelkova
Hawthorn
STREET TREE CONDITION
Beyond the limited number of trees in Beltzhoover, it is also important to evaluate the health and safety of existing trees. As of the last street tree inventory, eleven percent of street trees in the neighborhood were in poor or critical condition, and none were considered dead Of the remaining trees, 27 percent were in fair condition, leaving 64 percent in good condition Without proper maintenance, the condition of trees in this neighborhood may degrade over time as naturally occurring deadwood accumulates in trees, and open growing conditions encourage poor tree structure. As additional trees are planted in Beltzhoover, the already existing trees should be maintained or bettered from their current conditions ⁷
CONDITION
NATURAL AREAS
A small percentage of Beltzhoover is considered natural, with 12.5 percent woodland coverage Rewilding previously developed regions of the neighborhood would be difficult Consequently, any attempt to provide equitable access to natural spaces should focus on improving access corridors to resources in adjacent neighborhoods and creating more park space within the neighborhood unless there is significant community interest in attempting to recreate natural areas
TREE TENDERS
The Tree Tenders program at Tree Pittsburgh equips people with knowledge and training to interact with and care for their community trees During this training, Tree Pittsburgh staff teach topics including but not limited to tree care, planting, pruning, biology, pests, and diseases. Before ReLeaf Beltzhoover started, four registered Tree Tenders were from Beltzhoover During the planning phase of the neighborhood ReLeaf plan, Tree Pittsburgh offered one class at Beulah Baptist Church for Beltzhoover residents in Spring 2023, resulting in five newly graduated Tree Tenders Tree Pittsburgh will continue to develop this asset for the neighborhood
Tree Pittsburgh staff conducts a tree identification lesson with steering committee and community members in Beltzhoover
TREE ADOPTIONS
To capitalize on the opportunity to increase tree canopy on private property, Tree Pittsburgh hosts Tree Adoptions, where landowners can acquire free trees for their private properties Throughout the planning process, we hosted three Tree Adoption events in the neighborhood and had 128 containerized trees adopted at all those events. We will continue this tradition, which community members loved during the plan's implementation phase
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS
Faith-based organizations like Congregation of Yahweh, Full Life Deliverance, and Beulah Baptist Church unite community members in Beltzhoover, connecting them to resources and fostering spiritual growth. Active community-based organizations such as Voices Against Violence and Hilltop Alliance provide services and support, including youth programs and community collaboration UrbanKind Institute focuses on equity and social justice, while FroGang empowers Black youth through cultural engagement. These and many other organizations not listed above, combined with the neighborhood's greenspaces, offer essential opportunities for community engagement. ReLeaf Beltzhoover aims for an equitable increase in the tree canopy by collaborating with these active resources and organizations
Volunteers and community members planting a large tree on Climax Street in Spring 2024
WHAT DO WE WANT?
PLANNING PROCESS AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
To understand the residents’ desires in Beltzhoover, the planning team conducted
Community members engage in a discussion about heat in the neighborhood.
PLANNING PROCESS AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT (CONT’D.)
WHAT IS YOUR AGE?
DO YOU RENT OR OWN THE PLACE YOU LIVE?
PLANNING PROCESS AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT (CONT’D.)
We asked residents questions to understand how they engage with their community trees 38 5 percent of survey respondents feel there aren’t enough trees in the neighborhood, while 7.7 percent feel there are too many trees. This may be based on where residents live in the neighborhood. Parts of Beltzhoover lay adjacent to McKinley Park and have easy access to that asset 19 2 percent of respondents feel that many trees are dying in the neighborhood
Almost 90 percent of survey respondents shared that they can see at least three trees from home. This is a promising start to efforts to preserve and protect the tree canopy in Beltzhoover as it begins to feed into the baseline data for observing the 3:30:300 rule applied at a neighborhood planning scale The 3-30-300 rule offers benchmarks for cities to promote equitable nature access. It dictates that individuals should see three trees from their dwelling, have a 30% tree canopy in their neighborhood, and live within 300 m of a high-quality green space.
Between 2015 to 2020, Beltzhoover's tree cover increased from 49% to 50%. How do you feel about the NUMBER of trees in your neighborhood?
There are too many trees here. A lot of trees are dying here.
There aren’t enough trees here. A lot of trees are being cut down here.
I’d like to see trees planted along some streets that do not have a lot of leaves so they don’t become a nuisance and hazard when they shed. 0 2 4 6 8
PLANNING PROCESS AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT (CONT’D.)
83 8 percent of survey respondents also shared that they have a tree in their yard, their neighbor’s yard has a tree or a street tree in front of their property. 16.7 percent of the respondents shared that they have a park or forest nearby where they can walk. Respondents have shared positive interactions with trees and desire a healthy community forest.
Where do you see trees in your neighborhood?
My neighbors have trees in their yards.
I have a forest or park I can walk to nearby.
I have a street tree in front of my house (street side of sidewalk). Yes, three or more trees.
I have a private tree (in my yard). No, less than three trees.
Can you see at least three trees from your home?
PLANNING PROCESS AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT (CONT’D.)
Respondents also shared ways they had engaged with trees in the neighborhood through various activities Many respondents had been to McKinley Park and sat under a tree's shade Others had picked fruit or flowers from trees, and others still had supported tree care and planting efforts.
In the past year, have you had the opportunity to participate in any of the following activities in the Beltzhoover area? (Check all that apply.)
I have gone to McKinley Park.
I have helped take care of a tree.
I have sat outside under a tree.
I have picked fruit, nuts, or seeds.
I have planted a tree.
RESPONSES TO ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF TREES
Survey respondents gauged the environmental benefits of trees at various levels of importance 83 percent of all respondents believe trees can contribute to solutions to reduce global warming and stormwater runoff effects. Then, 82.4 percent of respondents believe trees can be an important mitigation strategy for landslide reduction compared to 17 6 percent who had no opinion
Reduce Carbon Dioxide That Contributes to Global Warming
RESPONSES TO ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF TREES (CONT’D.)
Reduce Stormwater Runoff Reduce Landslides
RESPONSES TO ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF TREES
We also asked some questions to understand residents' opinions about the economic benefits trees provide 62 percent of all respondents emphasized trees in reducing utility bills and crime in the neighborhood compared to 1.4 percent with no opinion.
11.8 percent of people do not believe trees are important for crime reduction in the neighborhood. For 70.6 percent of respondents, it was either important or very important that trees help increase home values, while 23 5 percent had no opinion
These responses allow for deeper conversations to understand the residents’ concerns and give appropriate solutions
RESPONSES TO ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF TREES (CONT’D.)
RESPONSES TO HEALTH BENEFITS OF TREES
Finally, respondents gave feedback on the many health benefits trees provide For 88 2 percent of respondents, trees are important in the filtration of air pollutants that cause asthma, can help address symptoms stemming from heart disease, and can reduce stress hormones and depression symptoms. 82.3 percent of respondents believe that trees encourage walking and physical fitness Less than one percent of respondents have no opinion on the health benefits presented in the survey questions In general, most residents positively respond to trees as a part of health solutions in their neighborhood
Pollutants
and Heart Disease
RESPONSES TO HEALTH BENEFITS OF TREES (CONT’D.)
Reduce Stress Hormones and Depression
Encourage Walking and Physical Fitness
RESPONSES TO HEALTH BENEFITS OF TREES (CONT’D.)
We also asked respondents to share what trees they would get in their yards if they had an opportunity through Tree Pittsburgh’s tree adoption program 61 percent of respondents want a small flowering or fruit tree
Tree Pittsburgh hosts Tree Adoptions for communities. What tree would you be most likely to adopt for your yard?
RESPONSES TO HEALTH BENEFITS OF TREES (CONT’D.)
Respondents also shared the activities in which they would like to participate. These activities are based on programs and services that Tree Pittsburgh provides to communities Eleven respondents would plant a tree, eight would attend a tree identification walk, six would attend a tree care day, and four would become certified tree tenders. Conversely, two respondents would not want to participate in any provided activities.
What activities would you like to participate in?
Attend a tree identification walk.
Become a certified Tree Tender.
Attend a tree care day (watering, weeding, mulching).
Plant a tree.
None of the above.
HOW DO WE GET THERE?
RECOMMENDATIONS AND IMPLEMENTATION
To increase the tree canopy and participation of residents in the neighborhood, Tree Pittsburgh staff assessed results from the community surveys and discussed these ideas with the steering committee members. Residents desire more green spaces in the neighborhood and increased youth participation and access to environmental programmi The following section presents a variety of priority projects for the next few years, including a budget and timeline to provide a way to reach the goal.
TREE PLANTING PRIORITIES
Trees will need to be planted for various uses to re-leaf Beltzhoover. The following are proposed projects for future implementation.
Update street tree inventory for Beltzhoover
Plant new street trees
Target tree planting and tree preservation in hot zones to improve community health and resilience to summer heatwaves
Include fruit trees in tree adoption events
Install a community orchard
Work with residents and City taxing bodies to understand ways of using vacant lots for greening efforts
Ensure tree planting efforts and priorities are included in the Comprehensive Planning process for the City of Pittsburgh
HOWDOWE GETTHERE?
A FroGang member plants a tree at the community tree planting in Beltzhoover in Fall 2023.
TREE CARE PRIORITIES
Planting new trees is important to restoring the lost tree canopy and ecosystem services trees provide However, preserving older and more established trees will be important in maintaining a healthy community forest in Beltzhoover. This means caring for already existing trees in the community The following priorities rose to the top for Beltzhoover residents during the planning process.
Remove and prune hazardous trees
Assemble a Beltzhoover Green Team with community support
Conduct annual tree care events with community groups and residents
COMMUNITY CAPACITY-BUILDING PRIORITIES
Establishing a healthy community forest in Beltzhoover will include building a solid core of residents and supporters. Even with major developmental pressures, the community has strong advocates who continue to raise their voices for healthy community tree canopy The following are additional steps to take to increase buy-in from more residents in the neighborhood.
Strengthen relationships with community organizations that work with youth, such as Voices Against Violence, FroGang Foundation, and churches
Conduct annual Tree Tender workshops and tailor them to community needs
Increase access to environmental education resources like Tree Pittsburgh Urban Forest in a Box for community groups and youth engagement programs, and continue to engage with the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy in McKinley Park
PHOTO T/C
BUDGET FOR IMPLEMENTATION PROJECTS
Tree Pittsburgh is excited to continue the work in Beltzhoover thanks to special support from the Inflation Reduction Act Funding for investments in Justice 40 and Environmental Justice census tracks in Allegheny County. In addition to adding feedback and capacity to work by other partners in the neighborhood, we will match resources to improve environmental conditions for the residents
TIMELINE RECOMMENDATIONS
Update street tree inventory
Plant new street trees in empty tree pits
Establish more community greenspaces
Plant trees with large property owners to address heat island pockets
Install community orchard
Include recommendations in the City of Pittsburgh comprehensive plan Tree Planting
City of Pittsburgh, Western PA Conservancy
City of Pittsburgh, Tree Pittsburgh, Western PA Conservancy (TreeVitalize), other partners as needed
City of Pittsburgh, Tree Pittsburgh, various additional implementation partners
Tree Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, with additional implementation partners
Tree Pittsburgh (Giving Grove) and other implementation partners
City of Pittsburgh and other community voices, Tree Pittsburgh
BUDGET FOR IMPLEMENTATION PROJECTS (CONT’D.)
Remove dead trees
Prune hazardous trees
Develop and implement a tree maintenance plan in community
Host tree adoption events
Distribute tree care education materials and trees directly to residents
Engage youth in the community and neighboring schools in tree care and reforestation efforts
Conduct annual tree tender workshops and programs in the community Strengthen relationships with large
HOW ARE WE DOING?
Monitoring the continued growth of tree canopy and residents’ participation with the community trees, analyzing canopy outcomes, and revising goals are keystones to maintaining a dynamic management approach for the community trees.
Tree Pittsburgh will assess the success of Beltzhoover’s ReLeaf program at the end of its two-year plan Plans outside of the two-year window will be led by the ReLeaf Beltzhoover steering committee with help from Tree Pittsburgh as funding is available. Reassessment will occur after two years to determine if the organized efforts are successful At that point, a complete evaluation and additional recommendations will be made to continue the ReLeaf Beltzhoover “How Are We Doing” section This evaluation will assess metrics that will outline success and shortcomings.
Tree Pittsburgh will include various metrics in an annual report, including but not limited to: number of trees planted, survival rates, overall tree canopy cover change, tree canopy cover changes by land type, number of Tree Tenders, number of trees pruned, number of trees mulched and weeded, assessment of community attitudes and participation in maintaining the community forest, and evaluation of annual tree benefits
An annual report will also be created to evaluate progress and inform the community about program successes.
Tree Pittsburgh’s ReLeaf program is a stakeholder-driven process that brings urban forest planning to the neighborhood level We work with communities that want to chart a path toward a greener neighborhood Together, we’ll create a plan to grow the urban forest through tree planting, tree care, and education to help ensure long-term success