American Forests partnered with Providence Neighborhood Planting Program and the City of Providence on this carbon planting project, which included 1,120 trees planted between April 2020 and November 2021 in Providence, Rhode Island. The Providence Neighborhood Planting Program (PNPP) is a tree planting partnership between the Mary Elizabeth Sharpe Providence Neighborhood Planting Program Fund, the City of Providence, and the residents and community members of Providence. Each year, PNPP and its partners plant and maintain approximately 500-550 street trees to improve public health, climate resilience and tree equity throughout the City of Providence.

PNPP used a community-driven tree planting model, working with residents and community groups to identify planting sites on publicly-owned land and working with neighborhood volunteers to plant the trees. Neighborhoods with lower Tree Equity Scores were prioritized to receive new trees in order to cool neighborhoods and improve air quality that disproportionately impacts Providence’s lowest canopy neighborhoods. Many of these projects are in formerly redlined neighborhoods where there are larger populations of people of color and people in poverty, and where the public health and social burdens correlated with tree inequity and other forms of environmental racism are most present.

Partners hope to establish a long-term carbon credit program that quantifies the many co-benefits that their urban trees provide as part of City and PNPP street tree planting and stewardship programs. The funding generated through the sale of carbon credits will help support long-term maintenance of Providence’s urban forest and additional needs that are identified by community members during the planning process.

Total Credits Issued: 78

• 2022: 78 credits issued

Total Credits Sold: 78

• 2023: 78 credits sold

Total Credits Retired: 78

• 2023: 78 credits retired

Total Credits Cancelled: 0

Total Credits Available for Purchase: 0

Co-Benefit Quantification

Trees planted as part of this project will provide ecosystem services, also known as co-benefits, when they reach 25 years old. The co-benefits represent a savings (avoided costs) of $82,361.39 per year, and $2,059,034.75 over the next 25 to 50 years.

• Rain interception (stormwater management) – 7,142.36 m3/year, $15,094.51 per year
• Air quality – 0.4764 tons/year, $5,715.86 per year
• Energy use – cooling (electricity) – 93,201.26 kWh/year, $13,057.50 per year
• Energy use – heating (natural gas) – 3,467,234.39 kBtu/year, $48,493.53 per year

Social Impacts

The 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are an urgent call for action and global partnership among all countries, representing key benchmarks for creating a better world and environment for everyone. Well-designed and managed urban forests make significant contributions to the environmental sustainability, economic viability and livability of cities.