East Providence and EP Urban Forest To Inventory Street Trees

EAST PROVIDENCE, RI — The City of East Providence and EP Urban Forest, a local group working to improve the city's ecosystems through education, planning, and community activities, are seeking volunteers to collect information on street trees in each East Providence neighborhood.

Volunteers will be asked to count and record information on approximately 8,000 trees this summer, an effort that will maximize the public benefits of the trees and minimize public costs associated with tree management.

“The City is excited to collaborate with EP Urban Forest to count these trees,” said Mayor Bob DaSilva in a statement. “It’s been 14 years since the last tree count and it’s time to gather new data."

“City trees improve public health and make our neighborhoods cleaner, healthier, and better places to live and work,” he continued. “They absorb and capture air pollutants, lower summer temperatures, intercept stormwater, and offer beauty to soften the edges of our built environment.”

The tree inventory is funded by a $4,875 Urban & Community Forestry Grant from the Rhode Island Dept. of Environmental Management. The money has been used to purchase an iPad and software to log the trees and to pay for a tree intern to oversee the project.

Participants will help provide information on current tree health by recording the number, species, location, size, and condition of East Providence street trees. Those who are interested in volunteering can attend the training sessions on June 23 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. virtually and on June 26 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Weaver Library.

For more information, email cmorehouse@eastprovidenceri.gov or call 401-435-7500.