Transcript:
In Milwaukee, residents of Sherman Park are helping their area become greener and shadier as members of Wisconsin’s first community tree board.
Green: “We are sort of the tree ambassadors, I say, for the neighborhoods.”
Felice Green is a member of the volunteer board. And she works at the nonprofit Milwaukee Water Commons, which helped establish it.
She says as the climate changes, trees help protect communities by providing cooling shade and absorbing stormwater.
But Sherman Park and other historically underserved communities have fewer trees than other areas.
So planting more is important. And she says residents need a voice in that process.
Green: “We recognize the importance of everybody has an opinion, everybody has a say.”
So the tree board talks to people about their priorities and concerns. For example, they invite residents to help choose which species get planted. They answer questions about how to manage fallen leaves. And before planting on a vacant lot, they ask nearby homeowners for permission.
These conversations take time, but Green says they’re worth it to get people on board and excited about growing and caring for trees in their community.
Green: “We want people to have a strong love relationship with trees.”
Reporting credit: Sarah Kennedy / ChavoBart Digital Media / Thanks to the Midwest Climate Resilience Conference for logistical support.
