The Danville Community Forest Revitalization Program (CFRP) is a comprehensive initiative designed to conserve and expand urban tree cover in Danville. Funded by the USDA Forest Service and the Virginia Department of Forestry, the program partners with the Green Infrastructure Center (GIC) to evaluate and manage green assets over a two-year period. Danville is one of four Virginia cities selected for this program, alongside Martinsville, Petersburg, and Hopewell. CFRP aims to enhance the city's green spaces, improve community health, regulate stormwater, reduce urban temperatures, save energy, boost property values, and promote outdoor recreation. Key components include developing a five-year strategy, launching a citywide tree planting initiative, and preserving existing tree canopy through maintenance and public education.
Why We Need CFRP
America's trees are in trouble, and we need to be concerned! Recent national data shows urban and suburban tree canopy cover is trending downwards at a rate of about 175,000 acres lost per year, approximately 36 million trees annually. As these trees are lost, so are the benefits they provide, resulting in an economic loss of $96 million per year. Virginia lost approximately 9,500 acres of forested land to development from 2014-2018. From 2001-2023, Virginia's tree cover has decreased by 19%, diminishing our environment's capacity to filter water and air pollutants, reducing fresh oxygen available for breathing, reducing shade to combat surface temperatures, increasing energy usage of buildings, and increasing carbon dioxide in the air from the removal of trees.
Data Collected by the Green Infrastructure Center
The Green Infrastructure Center conducted a Tree Canopy Analysis, Code and Ordinance Audit of green assets, and an Ecosystem Assessment during the evaluation to better understand Danville's green assets. The Tree Canopy Analysis involved completing a Tree Canopy Map where high-resolution data analysis of all of Danville's green infrastructure at least 15-20ft. Tree Canopy Maps are used for goal setting, identifying where to plant, zoning, tree equity, loss and gain in canopy, and tree strategy success.
What We Learned
Trees are a vital component of healthy communities! Danville's tree canopy covers 50%, or 13,674 acres. Trees remove air pollutants, regulate stormwater, reduce temperatures, save energy, increase property value, increase revenue, provide habitat, and promote outdoor recreation.
What Can We Do?
- Plan: Develop a long-term plan to communicate, advocate, enhance, and monitor Danville's green spaces. A five-year plan will include programs and projects to accomplish goals identified by the Tree Canopy Advisory Council and GIC. Revise Codes and Ordinances, as recommended by GIC, for City Council approval for tree protection and preservation.
- Plant: Public Works is proposing a Citywide Tree Planting Program for FY 2025-2026 to maintain the city's 50% tree canopy over the next five years
- Preserve: Increase tree maintenance and collect tree inventory data to preserve established tree canopy. Educate the community about trees and their important role in sustaining our city through growth and development.
What's Next
With all the information gained from the Green Infrastructure Center, the Tree Canopy Advisory Committee is currently developing goals and strategies for a five-year plan. Public Works is proposing a Citywide Tree Planting Program for FY 2025-2026. On March 6, 2025, a Grow In Danville event, held at Ballou Park Recreation Center, collected data, goals, and strategies that will be shared with the community for feedback. This information, along with feedback from city personnel, will be used in developing a five-year plan.
Thanks to Our Funders
The USDA Forest Service through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Virginia Department of Forestry.
