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Provo sustainability advisor highlights tree canopy, outreach and green-business wins in 2024 report
Summary
Don Jarvis presented the Provo City 2024 sustainability report to the council, citing a 17% tree canopy estimate, progress toward a thousand-tree goal, CPRAISE loan usage for energy-efficient development and recognition of local businesses for deep water and emissions reductions.
Don Jarvis, Provo’s sustainability advisor, presented the 2024 sustainability report to the Provo City Council work session on May 6, describing committee structure, outreach programs, tree-coverage data and partnerships with Provo Power and Brigham Young University.
"We were able to figure out with the BYU's help that it's actually about 17%," Jarvis said, describing the city’s estimated tree canopy based on BYU analysis and independent measures. Jarvis described the thousand-trees program as “about halfway there” toward its target since 2022 and credited Provo Power for small grant support and program partnerships.
Key items from the presentation included:
- Committee structure: three sustainability committees (mayor’s, employee and citizen committees) with Hannah Salsall coordinating employee efforts and public outreach. - Tree canopy and planting: a BYU-assisted estimate of roughly 17% tree coverage; a thousand-trees initiative begun in 2022; Provo designated a Tree City for roughly 40 years. - Energy and building programs: local use of the CPRAISE loan program (approved for Provo in Feb. 2016) to support energy‑efficient development; public viewings of all‑electric homes and outreach on heat-pump performance. - Outreach and schools: classroom and community outreach programs reaching children and adults; BYU partnerships including geospatial support for canopy mapping and a stewardship lab. - Green business awards: Mega Diamond received the city’s top green-business award after measures that, Jarvis said, reduced water use by 30% and cut CO2 emissions by 89% in its operations.
Jarvis also described financial incentives and technical help: he said customers are learning about “power’s thousand‑dollar rebates for ducted heat pumps,” and he noted an example household claim that electrification produced about $416 in monthly utility savings.
The presentation emphasized education, neighborhood outreach and partnership with utilities and local institutions. Councilors asked about public awareness and resources for residents who overwater lawns; Jarvis and councilors pointed to a handout and local outreach tied to the sustainability plan.
No formal council action was requested at the work session. The presentation concluded with council appreciation for committee members and community volunteers.
