Advancing a Community’s Ecology, Equity, and Economy

A blighted open space overrun with invasives that’s near a public housing complex in Shoreline, WA, will soon be home to a vibrant, accessible green space featuring 2,000 native trees thanks to an exciting new model for urban forestry funding and collaboration.

The Ballinger Open Space project is advancing ecology, equity, and the economy through a partnership among the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust, the City of Shoreline, City Forest Credits, American Forests, and Bank of America. It’s centered around City Forest Carbon+ Credits, a new funding mechanism that quantifies key environmental services urban trees provide, plus acknowledges their contributions to social equity, infrastructure, habitat, and human health and wellbeing. As a SUFC member, City Forest Credits has been able to strengthen existing relationships with fellow members—such as American Forests—through face-to-face networking at the Annual Meeting and other information-sharing opportunities facilitated by the Coalition.