According to the American Forest Foundation, cities must maintain an urban canopy tree coverage of forty-nine (49 %) to ensure clean water, clean air and to mitigate the effects of urban heat islands; the EPA has mandated tree planting as one of three strategies for mitigating poor air and water quality.

Based upon scientific data, Baton Rouge’s tree canopy is comprised primarily of aging, short-lived tree species, and is losing large expanses of existing trees on a daily basis due to commercial, residential, and industrial development. An EPA report (February 2002) revealed that Baton Rouge is at risk of being in non-compliance with federal air quality regulations and may suffer fines for “severe” air quality ratings. For these reasons, pro-active reforestation initiatives are critical to sustain the ecological balance, beauty and the health of the natural environment of the greater Baton Rouge area. These facts are provided as evidence of the need for an organization commitment to conserving, planting and sustaining trees and to educating the public about their importance in sustaining quality of life.

Baton Rouge Green’s work has had an impact. The following are but two examples of how BRG’s consistent commitment toward reforestation and increased awareness has affected paradigm shifts in local philosophy about the importance of planting and sustaining trees:

• BRG was the catalyst that convened community groups – City Parish Dept. of Landscape & Forestry, developers, architects, realtors, etc. to develop the first landscape ordinance for the parish.  To view a copy of the landscape ordinance log onto www.brgov.com/dept/planning/pdf/ordinance12692.pdf.
  
  
• Through collaboration with Baton Rouge Green for the past eight years, the EBRP School System has increased its commitment to conserving, planting and sustaining trees on school campuses. This change in philosophy was evident in the contractual arrangement EBRP has since developed for centralized, professional maintenance of school campuses, in stark contrast with the central office’s previous inclusion of grounds maintenance among the general tasks of school janitors.