Charlotte Plants Pollinator Gardens To Protect 300,000-Tree Urban Forest
A new garden project in Charlotte, North Carolina, aims to support its huge urban forest of 300,000 trees and keep the city’s impressive 47% tree coverage intact.
“We’re right about 46%-47% of the city of Charlotte is covered with trees, which is amazing for a city our size. We do have a lot of development going on within the city,” said Laurie Reid, Charlotte’s city arborist, to wbtv.com.
Every year, city tree teams plant 1,000 new trees while creating connected networks of local plant gardens. These spots attract important pollinators; bees, butterflies, and other insects that help trees thrive.
Officials caution against cutting down lots of trees since each big tree plays an important part in the ecosystem.
According to Urban Forestry Manager Tim Porter, these special gardens help reduce heat and capture carbon dioxide. His work is part of Charlotte’s big plan to eliminate carbon emissions by 2050.
Work crews spread their efforts throughout the city’s different neighborhoods, focusing especially on areas lacking greenery. Research shows that adding more trees improves air quality in underserved areas like Biddleville and Greenville.
Ongoing checks show the tree canopy remains steady at 46-47% coverage, even as new construction continues. The forestry team keeps track using detailed maps.
Making an impact doesn’t require a large garden. People with balconies can plant native flowers like black-eyed Susans or milkweed. When trees die, homeowners help by planting replacements.
Research shows trees create more equal neighborhoods. New plantings cool down places where pavement traps summer heat.
Workers monitor how many pollinators visit the gardens, checking how well these spaces help local bee populations through direct observation.
This project is just the beginning. While maintaining existing trees, the city plans to add more garden spaces to its green network as time goes on.
