Newport Tree Canopy Plan

This Strategic Tree Canopy Plan provides data and strategies for maintaining and restoring tree canopy in the City of Newport, Rhode Island. This plan is the culmination of a one-year planning process that included workshops and strategic planning sessions led by the Green Infrastructure Center Inc. (GIC) with city staff and community partners. The public was engaged in this process through outreach events, a community open house and community interviews. The extent of urban forest cover was determined by analyzing aerial imagery to map the City’s land cover. Open space was evaluated to determine the Potential Planting Area where future trees might be planted, along with assessments of the environmental and social benefits the City’s trees provide. Strategies for retaining, protecting, and restoring tree canopy coverage were created. The City of Newport currently has 19% tree canopy coverage city-wide. The City plans to increase their canopy cover from 19% to 21% over the next 10 years. New tree planting will be needed to replace trees lost from pests, storms, landowner removals, additional development, or old age and to grow the canopy. This plan calls for the increase of trees in underserved areas to address urban heat islands, stormwater runoff, and erosion in alignment with the City’s Comprehensive Plan objectives.