About Us
Who We Are
Over the past several years, Lexington residents have expressed a high level of concern for our city’s tree canopy. In 2021, during public input about how to use COVID relief funding, the Urban County Council heard from constituents throughout Fayette County about the need for more support of our tree canopy. In February 2022, the Council responded by allocating $1.5 Million of City funds for improving Lexington’s tree canopy. The funds were placed with the Division of Environmental Services to oversee their expenditure. The Tree Canopy Ad Hoc Committee was formed to provide input to the Division as to how the funds should be allocated.
The committee includes a number of representatives from city government, local nonprofits, environmental organizations, and members of the community.
Diane Atchison
Nachie Braga
James Brown
John Cioci
Anita Courtney
Jada Griggs
Hannah LeGris
Shayla Lynch
Christine Smith
Lex Grow Trees exists to uplift and amplify many existing tree-related initiatives in our area. We encourage you to learn more about our partners, and to check back as our list grows!
Our Focus
Communication
Education
Tree Planting
Mobilization
Tree Maintenance
The Committee held a strategic planning session in August 2022 to determine the desired results and focus areas of expenditures of this one‐time allocation to benefit Lexington’s tree canopy.
In the FY22 budget, $75,000 had been allocated to update Lexington’s Urban Tree Canopy Study, which had been completed in 2012. The change analysis conducted in 2022 looked at the most recent data from 2020 as compared to the 2012 data and provided information on the tree canopy by council district, watershed, census tract, and types of property ownership. The assessment also included planting plans to achieve various canopy goals.
Armed with up‐to‐date data about our tree canopy, information about where trees are most needed, and an outline of how to expend the funds allocated to grow Lexington’s tree canopy, the committee has hired an agency to provide the needed marketing, communication, and project management services to launch and monitor the project.
Our Goals and Objectives
At the end of the Lex Grow Trees initiative, we want to have achieved the following outcomes:
- Remarkable progress in the scale and health of our tree canopy.
- Increased community buy‐in and resident engagement in assuring the creation and maintenance of our tree canopy.
- A cultural shift in the understanding of the benefits of trees for individuals, our economy, our community’s social structure, and our collective community’s health.
- Addressed the equity challenges of access to the benefits of a healthy tree canopy.
- Developed and promoted policies related to the retention of the existing tree canopy
