Pawtucket unveils first tree canopy plan, asks council to back planting and a city forester

Pawtucket officials presented the city’s first strategic tree canopy plan and urged the City Council to support funding and staffing to maintain and expand the urban forest.

Kyle McElleray, the city’s resiliency manager, introduced the plan and said it recommends directing resources to neighborhoods that most need shade and cooling. Danica Xavier of the Green Infrastructure Center, which led the analysis, called it the city’s “first urban forestry plan” and described the mapping and community outreach that produced the recommendations.

The plan’s land‑cover analysis (satellite imagery from 2022) found very uneven canopy cover across the city and surface‑temperature disparities of as much as about 55 degrees Fahrenheit between shaded and pavement‑heavy areas. Xavier said the working group set a policy goal to maintain Pawtucket’s existing canopy at about 21 percent but noted that tree loss to storms and pests will require steady planting and maintenance to hold that figure.

GIC outlined five priority strategies: revise the street‑tree planting program so the city can plant on public front and side yards where appropriate; hire or contract a city arborist to manage public trees; publish and implement an urban forest management plan; complete a citywide inventory of public trees; and launch a public education and stewardship campaign. McElleray urged councilors to promote the free tree program, advocate for a forester in the budget, and direct parks and tree commissions to track tree inventory work.

Councilors congratulated the team for compiling data and said they would consider how to fund staffing and plantings in the operating budget. Danica Xavier closed by encouraging participation in Arbor Day events and offering follow‑up with staff for technical details.

Next steps: staff will brief the parks and tree commission and pursue budget options for a forester and planting funds.