Green Cities Accord (GCA) and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) partnered to plant 6,576 trees planted within the city limits of Minneapolis, MN from April to October 2024. The trees are in public rights-of-way along city streets as well as on additional land where MPRB has the authority to plant and maintain trees. The project prioritized planting trees in areas of the city with low tree canopy cover. The trees will reduce urban heat island effects and stormwater runoff, and capture particulate air pollution. Proceeds from the sale of carbon offsets from this project will be reinvested in additional tree planting and maintenance performed by the MPRB.

This is the fourth project partnership between Green Cities Accord and MPRB, following the MPRB Planting 2021 , MPRB Planting 2022, and MPRB Planting 2023 projects. The projects are part of a wider effort known as the Twin Cities Climate Resiliency Initiative, a public/private partnership focused on significantly expanding the urban tree canopy across Minneapolis and the 7-county Twin Cities metropolitan area. Designed to address the most harmful impacts of climate change on the region’s residents, it is a 20-year vision to increase the Metro area’s tree canopy by 30% through planting and maintaining millions of additional trees on public and private lands. This initiative includes identifying new funding sources for tree planting and maintenance, including establishing Minnesota’s first urban tree carbon offset program.

More information coming soon.

Co-Benefits

Trees planted as part of this project will provide ecosystem services, also known as co-benefits, when they reach 25 years old. The co-benefits represent a savings (avoided costs) of $471,445 per year when the trees reach age 25, and $11,786,133 over the next 25 to 50 years.

• Rain interception (stormwater management) – 33,528 m3/year, $240,031 per year
• Air quality – 0.99 tons/year, $4,120 per year
• Energy use – cooling (electricity) – 1,065,030 kWh/year, $80,836 per year
• Energy use – heating (natural gas) – 15,044,922 kBtu/year, $146,458 per year

Social Impacts

The 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are an urgent call for action and global partnership among all countries, representing key benchmarks for creating a better world and environment for everyone. Well-designed and managed urban forests make significant contributions to the environmental sustainability, economic viability and livability of cities. The main SDGs for this project are described below, with more detailed information in the Project Design Document.

Project trees were planted throughout the city of Minneapolis to act as a screen for particulate air pollution, specifically from traffic, increase the stormwater infiltration rate of the urban soils, and mitigate urban heat.

This project planted trees specifically in areas of limited tree coverage that have a high correlation with areas of concentrated
poverty. These areas display the highest vulnerability to impacts from climate change and are in need of assistance in greening projects.

Most trees were planted as street trees and will shade homes and buildings, reducing heating and cooling costs over time. These trees also increase the stormwater infiltration rate of the urban soils and habitat diversity throughout the city.