COMMUNITY FORESTRY

New Orleans is famous for its oak-lined avenues, yet the city holds a lesser-know distinction: after Hurricane Katrina destroyed an estimated 200,000 trees, the U.S. Forest Service declared New Orleans the most deforested city in the nation. Our urban forest is not just about beauty—it is essential infrastructure. Trees empower us to live with water, reduce extreme heat, clean the air, slow storm winds, and make our neighborhoods healthier and more walkable.

Compared to other Southern cities, our canopy is alarmingly sparse. Savannah enjoys 44% tree cover, Nashville 47%, and Charleston 63%. New Orleans, by contrast, has only 18%. Because canopy cover directly affects flooding, heat, energy bills, air quality, and overall quality of life, replanting our urban forest is imperative. But we must do it strategically—one neighborhood at a time, not one tree at a time. Only a large-scale, systemic approach can provide the protection our city needs. That scale of thinking entered New Orleans’ tree-planting efforts with the launch of SOUL in 2016.

Through our Community Reforestation Program, we partner with neighborhoods to replant block by block, offering every property the chance to receive trees. We water each tree for a year, track its environmental impact, and maintain it for up to two years, ensuring that new plantings grow into the resilient canopy New Orleans urgently needs.