Hopewell is doing something about its lack of trees: 'We need them around here'

HOPEWELL, Va. -- On hot, sunny summer days, longtime residents of Hopewell said finding shade to try and cool off for a minute can be a challenge in parts of the city. Hopewell planners are in the process of examining and bolstering the tree canopy to help with heat island effects and other health concerns related to tree coverage.

"We need them around here because we need more shade," Mr. Wyche, who has lived in Hopewell his whole life, said. "[Planting more trees] would say a lot for the city and it would be beautiful.”

Hopewell and the Green Infrastructure Center (GIC) are in the planning phases of a project to study the entire tree canopy in the city: how it affects the health of residents and the usability of the city's infrastructure. The two-year project is thanks to a grant from the USDA and Virginia Department of Forestry supporting the mapping, planning, and management of urban forests in underserved communities.

The funding comes from the Inflation Reduction Act .

"Tree canopy is something that affects all of us," said Kelly Davis, senior city planner for Hopewell, who led the charge in identifying and applying for the grant.

Hopewell's history of city planning revolved around the industrial sites that anchored the city for decades, Davis said, which made tree coverage for residents a bit of an afterthought.

“As a legacy industrial city, much of the city of Hopewell developed prior to modern-day development standards and environmental regulations, so a project like this will help us identify priority planting areas," she said. "Trees help spur economic activity for retail and have a lot different health benefits for citizens.”

GIC and other conservation groups have found the average temperature in the shade of a tree is 7 to 14 degrees cooler than in the sun, a number that exacerbates health and air quality outcomes in areas that lack tree coverage.

"If you’re outside and you’re playing, would you rather be playing in 100-degree weather or around 85?" Kendall Topping, an urban forester with GIC who is working with Hopewell on the project, said.

"First we’re going to be looking at the tree canopy map, then equity maps such as income, heat surface area, we even do a stormwater analysis. Just to say what areas are really in need," Topping said about the project's scope. "Where is hotter? Where is it cooler? Where can we actually plant trees? Where is it possible? Who needs it most in terms of equity?”

Equity is a key component

Topping said their work has shown urban areas with high minority and/or low-income populations typically have a smaller tree canopy, making them hotter and drastically reducing the air and water filtration benefits of trees.

"We don’t want to just keep the clean air over here, right? We want to expand it to everyone, so not only can they understand why trees are so important but benefit from them as well," Topping said.

The initial mapping and planning phases of the project will take approximately nine months, officials said, and early next year Hopewell residents will have the opportunity to weigh in on which parts of the city they would like to see prioritized.

"[Tree canopy] creates a more beautiful environment to live your everyday life, provides shade for you to be able to be able to walk, and creates a healthier living environment for all of us," Davis said.

“It brings a certain pride in the neighborhood like this area is cared for, we like going outside, and the more you go outside, the more you get to know your community and your neighbors," Topping said. "Long term, that’s what we’re looking at: healthier river, healthier stormwater, cool areas, and most importantly, a happier, prouder community.”

You can learn more about Hopewell and GIC through their websites.

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