Root Nashville, a public-private partnership coordinated by the Cumberland River Compact and Metro, targets 500,000 new trees by 2050 with priority planting in low-canopy, high-heat neighborhoods identified through the Livable Nashville equity analysis.
Root Nashville aligns Metro Parks, NDOT, MNPS, and nonprofit partners around equitable tree planting. The campaign uses canopy maps and heat-vulnerability data to prioritize neighborhoods such as North Nashville, Antioch, and parts of East Nashville where canopy is below the countywide average. Free or low-cost trees are offered to residents through seasonal giveaways, with planting and aftercare workshops. The Metro Tree Advisory Committee reviews progress and recommends adjustments. Partner funding and grants supplement tree replacement fees collected under Metro Code 17.24. The program complements but does not replace tree-protection ordinance requirements during private development.
Root Nashville is a voluntary planting program with no penalties. Property owners who accept a free tree but neglect establishment watering may simply lose the tree without further sanction.
Nashville, TN
The Livable Nashville Sustainability Plan calls for reducing urban heat-island impacts through expanded tree canopy, cool-pavement pilots, and reflective-roo...
Nashville, TN
Metro Code Chapter 17.24 protects landmark and specimen trees on public property and on private development sites. Removal of designated trees requires Urban...
See how Nashville's urban forest equity rules stack up against other locations.
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