Maintaining the balance between accommodating urban development and preserving the urban forest is a challenge.

According to federal experts, tree-planting organizations and scholars of urban ecology, striking this balance requires cities to maintain their older trees and plant shade trees in new residential and commercial areas. It doesn’t help that City budgets are often stretched thin just keeping up with growing demands for basic infrastructure and services. Fortunately, communities are finding ways to invest in themselves through programs like NeighborWoods.

Our Purpose:
In 2004, the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture awarded an Urban and Community Forestry grant to the City of Oklahoma City to fund Oklahoma City’s first NeighborWoods initiative.
NeighborWoods connects business sponsors, who purchase trees, with community volunteers, who care for and maintain them. The program provides residents within Oklahoma City’s low- to moderate-income neighborhoods an opportunity to rejuvenate and enhance our urban forest while improving their property. The program draws attention to the value of trees and invests in the overall health and success of our community by creating tree canopies that increase the health and livability of our neighborhoods.

Our Goals
NeighborWoods perpetuates Oklahoma City’s urban forest through community partnerships. It revitalizes neighborhoods, improves community appearance, promotes environmental sustainability, and increases awareness of the benefit of trees.
Envision citizens of Oklahoma City working together to create more beautiful and environmentally sound neighborhoods through planting trees that were donated by a local business. Thanks to the new NeighborWoods program of the City of Oklahoma City, the vision of tree lined streets and canopy covered neighborhoods is coming true.

 

Iyla Griffin , NeighborWoods Coordinator
405 297-2283