Last updated: November 2024
Over the past century, vast portions of the world’s oldest forests have been lost to clear-cutting and managed forestry (1). Arboretum Detroit is working to counter this trend by reforesting Detroit’s urban landscape, transforming abandoned city blocks into thriving groves of trees (1). Each parcel of land features trees that showcase the unique contours and characteristics of specific species, creating a diverse urban forest mosaic across the city (1). These "forest patches" are protected, designed to mature safely for generations, offering a space of tranquility and natural beauty for all Detroiters (1). Arboretum Detroit’s main goal is to cultivate environmental consciousness, inspiring the community to consider our interconnectedness with nature and our impact on it (1). Through their reforestation mission, they demonstrate the ecological, cultural, aesthetic, and economic value of trees, both locally and globally (1). Trees alter our environment by using their leaves to filter the air we breathe by removing dust and other particles. Deciduous shade trees cool homes in the summer and allow the winter sun to heat homes when they lose their leaves. Trees can serve as a windbreak. The more compact the foliage on the group of trees the more effective the windbreak. Their pilot project, launched on Earth Day 2019, brought these values to life. Volunteers and members planted 21 trees across the site, including species like Princeton Sentry Ginkgo, Redpoint Red Maple, Paper Birch, Cedar, Yew, and understory trees like Kousa Dogwood and Forest Pansy Redbud, enhancing the habitat for local pollinators and birds (2). The trees were arranged in trios, interspersed with native seeds, soil, compost, and glacial boulders to create a healthy and engaging environment for all (2).
5300 Elmwood, Detroit, 48211
Arboretum Detroit
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Parks and urban forests
- Pocket parks/neighbourhood green spaces
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change mitigation
- Environmental quality
- Air quality improvement
- Soil quality improvement
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Habitat and biodiversity restoration
- Regeneration, land-use and urban development
- Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Environmental education
Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)
- Environmental Degradation
- Biodiversity loss
- Deforestation and forest degradation
- Land use and Socio-economic change
- Unequal availability and access to public green spaces
- Health, Well-being and Social cohesion
- Disconnection from nature
Key priorities
Climate action (adaptation and/or mitigation), Biodiversity (conservation and/or restoration)
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Creation of large parks and urban and peri-urban forests, Ecological restoration of ecosystems, Soil remediation and revegetation, Remediation activities of sites with very poor environmental quality, Protection of natural ecosystems, Habitat restoration, Transformation of previously derelict areas, Transformation of vacant land into green spaces, Knowledge creation and awareness raising, Educational and awareness raising programs
Project objectives
The objectives of Treetroit were to:
To demonstrate reforesting Detroit’s landscape with diverse tree stands, educating the community on the cultural, ecological, aesthetic, and economic roles trees play locally and globally.
To counteract deforestation through urban reforestation projects.
To restore abandoned lots with diverse tree stands, bringing vitality back to underutilized spaces.
To plant trees that help reduce pollution and support carbon sequestration.
To enhance living tree areas with thoughtful landscape design.
To plant native plants that support local bird populations and pollinators.
To engage in reseeding efforts that sustain the arboretum.
To inspire visitors with a love for trees and a commitment to their stewardship.
To create a natural forest landscape using native plants, effective soil management, and sustainable landscaping practices. (1, 2)
Implementation activities
To contribute to the reforestation of Detroit's urban landscape the Treetroit project engaged in a variety of activities including:
1. Established the non-profit as a land trust (1).
2. Established the first Arb Detroit pilot project called Treetroit at an abandoned property location (2).
3. Hosted an event on Earth Day to initiate the planting for Treetroit (2).
4. Utilized compost and topsoil during planting to support tree growth (2).
5. Selected a diverse mix of trees to plant 23 trees such as Birches, Gingkoes, Red Maples, Cedars, Redbuds, Dogwoods, Yews, Sycamores and the sole Weeping Beech along with a young red pine (3).
6. Spread native wildflower and grass seeds to cover the ground (3).
7. Imported one-hundred cubic yards of soil to create a hill that sweeps through the middle of the Arb (2).
8. Planted 15 boulders (2).
9. Seeded dutch white clover (2).
10. Partnered with the US Fish and Wildlife to plant 46 varieties of native plants that will benefit the local bees and birds (2).
Climate-focused activities
Climate change mitigation:
- Increase the availability of green urban space for carbon storage (street tree cover)
Communities vulnerable to environmental hazards or climate change impacts
Yes
Specification of climate or environmentally vulnerable communities
Minority or marginalized ethnic groups
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity restoration:
- Restore native species
Main beneficiaries
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Led by non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Non-government organisation/civil society
- Citizens or community group
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Dissemination of information and education
- Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
- Citizen oversight (e.g. boards, advisory)
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The organization is made up of a 5 team members and 10 board members but there is no specification on how different members are active in the organization (5). Members of the team engage in a variety of roles including: outreach coordinator, and park maintenance (5).
Andrew “Birch” Kemp is the founder of the non-profit organization and plays the big role in initiating tree planting projects (5).
US Fish and Wildlife is a government organization that has become a partner for the project providing native plants and seeds for the planting projects (2).
The pilot project Treetroit was planted during Earth day with the help of local community volunteers (2).
The city of Detroit plays a role by providing the vacant land to the organization to develop the urban forest through a land grant (1).
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Unknown
Type of enablers
NGOs/Community groups driving the implementation
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Funds provided by non-governmental organization (NGO)
Type of funding
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
Type of non-financial contribution
- Provision of land
- Provision of goods
- Provision of labour
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
- Public authorities (e.g. land, utility services)
- Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Climate change
- Enhanced carbon sequestration
- Expected enhanced carbon sequestration
- Environmental quality
- Improved air quality
- Expected improved air quality
- Green space and habitat
- Increased conversion of degraded land or soil
- Achieved increased conversion of degraded land or soil
- Increased number of species present
- Achieved increased number of species present
- Enhanced support of pollination
- Achieved enhanced support of pollination
Economic impacts
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Improved access to urban green space
- Achieved improved access to urban green space
- Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
- Expected increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
- Education
- Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
- Expected increased knowledge of locals about local nature
Type of reported impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs
Unknown
References
1.
Arboretum Detroit (n.d.). Our Vision. [Source link];
2.
Arboretum Detroit (2019). Treetroit 1 is Planted. [Source link];
3.
Arboretum Detroit (2019). Treetroit 1 - Pilot Arboretum . [Source link];
4.
Statistical Atlas (n.d.). Overview of Poletown East, Detroit, Michigan. [Source link];
5.
Arboretum Detroit (n.d.). Meet the Team. [Source link];
Dropping the root ball.
Arboretum Detroit
Treetroit
https://www.arbdetroit.org/treetroit-1
Treetroit
https://www.arbdetroit.org/treetroit-1
Treetroit
https://www.arbdetroit.org/treetroit-1
Treetroit
https://www.arbdetroit.org/treetroit-1
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.