Alliance partners are committed to increasing equitable access to urban tree canopy and the many human health, environmental, and economic benefits that it brings.

• •  The Pittsburgh Canopy Alliance believes every tree is essential to urban life and climate resilience.
  • This collaborative aims to increase community involvement in local planning, leading to healthier trees and a greater number of them.

With a net loss of 4,000 acres of tree canopy across Allegheny County between 2015-2020, the Pittsburgh Canopy Alliance has researched, prioritized, and developed shared goals to increase urban tree canopy with a focus on equity.

• • The group analyzed trends perpetuating tree canopy decline and disparity.
  • With that information, the collaborative developed a comprehensive strategy to reverse the decline, support more resilient forests, and increase tree canopy and its many benefits in communities that need it most.

The approach embraces community-level planning and workforce development to plant and maintain trees along streets, in parks and public greenspaces, and residential and institutional property, prioritizing disadvantaged/environmental justice areas, neighborhoods, and municipalities that are most in need and will benefit most from focused efforts.

Empowered by this approach, the Pittsburgh Canopy Alliance is ready to get our hands dirty, working alongside communities to support their work and leverage our collective funds to make Allegheny County’s tree canopy more accessible and equitable for all.