Newport has begun a major tree-planting project. Volunteers planted about 15 saplings on the city’s west side this summer. Over the next four years, 1,000 more trees will be planted with the help of a $1 million federal grant to improve access to green space.
“Our side of town hasn’t gotten much attention over time, and you can see it in the treetops,” said resident Ed Davis.
Davis and organizations — including the West Side Citizens Coalition and ReNewport — have been trying to address the neighborhood’s tree shortage for nearly a decade. They have led community planting efforts and planted 600 new trees, one tree at a time.
“In the past, we planted in the tree holes that the city had available. Now we don’t have any tree holes,” Davis said. “We have to cut concrete. We have to get the concrete out of here.”
The grant will remove unneeded concrete to make room for more trees along sidewalks and streets. This will provide more shade and counteract the effects of climate change, such as extreme heat.
Volunteers will continue to ensure that the seedlings get into the ground.
“Because we are the city,” Davis said. “That’s how we grow, and that’s how we build a community in our city, and that’s how our side of the city becomes part of the city, even though it always has been, but it’s been a neglected part, and we’re changing that.”
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Newport arborist Cassandra Homan-Wall says planting the 1,000 trees on the west side will make the city more equitable.
“Research shows that green spaces correlate with longer lives, lower rates of heart disease and diabetes, less flooding, better and more successful business districts…” Homan-Wall said. “These are all things we should all have access to.”
Newport received the million-dollar grant in 2023 from the U.S. Forest Service under the federal Inflation Reduction Act.
According to Josh Tunning, CEO of ReNewport, this is the largest green investment in Newport’s history.
Westside residents can apply to the City of Newport or ReNewport for a tree for their property.
Tree planting is planned for mid-October.
