Zionsville partnering with IU to study maximizing urban tree canopy

Many communities are planting trees in an effort to become more sustainable and livable.

Zionsville is currently conducting a year-long community-wide tree canopy assessment and developing a strategy to maximize the benefits of urban trees.

Mayor Emily Styron said the assessment will help provide a roadmap for the future to better address climate impacts.

“This tree canopy study helps us understand the value of our natural landscape and how it bolsters a variety of different positive attributes for our residents, for wildlife, for our community,” Styron said.

The assessment is part of Indiana University’s 2022 Resilience Cohort, which will result in a plan to leverage natural systems to combat extreme weather being experienced more frequently throughout the state. 

The data will be added to a statewide spatial inventory designed to help communities make resilience planning decisions.  Additional communities in Resilience Cohort urban green infrastructure planning include Fort Wayne, Terre Haute, Fishers, Huntington, Lafayette and Merrillville.

The town is hosting a McKinney Climate Fellow who will help facilitate the climate action
planning process and coordinate efforts across Zionsville.