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Urban forester warns of 10‑point tree‑canopy loss; city outlines tree‑plan and planting targets
Summary
City urban-forestry staff reported a drop in tree canopy from 42% to 32% since 2010, described recent plantings and ARPA-funded gateway projects, and said a four‑year Richmond Tree Plan will guide canopy recovery and coordination with development rules.
Michael Webb, the city’s urban forester, told the committee the city has lost about 10 percentage points of tree canopy since 2010 and outlined a program of plantings, maintenance and planning to recover it.
"From our tree canopy assessment in 2010 we were at 42%. From a recent one performed by the Chesapeake Bay Innovation Center, we're at 32% — so we've lost 10% canopy in that time period," Webb said, and noted that about 80% of the urban forest is on private land. Webb identified private development as the main driver of canopy loss and described tools under consideration — including a state tree‑bank mechanism — that could require developers to pay into a canopy fund if on‑site mitigation is not feasible.
Webb and Torrance Robinson, deputy director of operations and maintenance, said the city planted 1,355 trees in the public right‑of‑way last year, maintains 126 beautification sites, and used ARPA funds to build gateway projects. They described a Richmond Tree Plan launched in late 2025 to produce a hyperlocal canopy assessment and to prioritize plantings in heat‑island and underserved neighborhoods.
The presenters highlighted coordination with the Code Refresh process, the need to support plantings on private property (through grants or incentives) and the plan to produce a detailed canopy map to guide future planting. Committee members asked about equitable distribution of beautification investments, the use of contractors vs. internal crews, and ways to link tree planting to workforce development and apprenticeship programs.
Staff said they plan to return with a finished urban canopy assessment, proposed implementation tactics tied to Code Refresh tools, and options for resident tree‑planting assistance.
