A 2015 tree audit in Louisville found that the city was losing 54,000 trees a year – a startling number.
Louisville’s efforts to respond to that discovery was featured in a recent story in The Atlantic, which used Kentucky’s largest city as an example of what is happening in urban areas around the country.
The story highlighted the work of TreesLouisville, a nonprofit that works to encourage both planting and care of existing trees.
Why do trees matter? They help fight climate change and there are lots of other reasons. The article noted that trees improve home values and even seem to reduce crime. TreesLouisville makes recommendations on types of trees you might want to plant, but the article noted that arborist are also beginning to adjust tree recommendations as the climate changes.
The article quoted Cindi Sullivan, executive director of TreesLouisville, as being a fan of the zydeco twist, a black gum tree usually found in Louisiana. One has been doing well at her Louisville home for nine years.
