Detroit To Plant 10,000 New Trees Over 3 Years
DETROIT (WWJ) - Detroit has announced a plan to plant 10,000 new trees over the next three years.
WWJ City Beat Reporter Vickie Thomas says they'll be kicking off the effort in a neighborhood along Oakman Blvd. on Monday.
The city forestry division's planting program will spend $3 million a year on what they're calling the "10,000 Up Initiative" — replace thousands of trees lost to storms, disease and old age.
More than 900 trees already have been planted.
Jerome Christian, who's getting a new tree in front of his house on Sorrento Street, said he'll be glad to see some added green.
"We had our bad luck; we had, you know, the Dutch Elm years ago and then came the (Emerald) Ash Borer which took our trees , and then the Greening of Detroit came along and planted some more, but we lost a lot of those trees," he said. "So when the city came along with this program, we were all just happy to get 'em, you know? So I'm happy."
Residents are being asked to select areas in their neighborhood where they would like to see some of the new trees planted.
"When I look at trees I look at, you know, like in the summertime when trees can shade your home and that can conserve energy it can, it can shade your grass, it can conserve water," Christian added. "And the overall scenic beauty of trees...it can, I guess, increase your property value."
The tree-planting program is part of Mayor Mike Duggan's larger plan to revitalize Detroit's neighborhoods.
