Cumberland River Compact
The Pitch
Neighborhood Tree Captains empowered residents to lead the expansion of Nashville’s tree canopy by distributing free trees, strengthening neighborhood leadership and improving climate resilience, public health and environmental equity.
The Problem
Nearly one-third of Nashville residents live in neighborhoods facing high levels of poverty, poor health outcomes and climate vulnerability. Many historically underserved communities have fewer trees, more impervious surfaces and older infrastructure, making them more susceptible to urban flooding, extreme heat, poor air quality and other climate-related risks.
The Process
- Created the Neighborhood Tree Captain model, which trains residents to conduct outreach, build trust and identify planting opportunities while connecting neighborhoods with free trees and professional planting services
- Launched Root Nashville, a public-private campaign led by the Cumberland River Compact and Metro Nashville to plant 500,000 trees across Davidson County by 2050
- Recruited and trained residents as ambassadors for urban forestry within their own communities
- Prioritized historically underserved neighborhoods using environmental justice data, community knowledge and partnerships with local organizations to guide tree distribution
- Compensated Neighborhood Tree Captains through stipends and leadership development opportunities to expand participation and recognize community expertise
- Secured permanent public funding through city legislation tying tree planting resources to building permit revenues, creating a sustainable funding model for urban forestry
- Partnered with nonprofits, neighborhood associations, historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), businesses and government agencies to strengthen community engagement and long-term stewardship
- Expanded community education through training, peer mentorship and environmental justice leadership programs to build long-term capacity
- Developed a nationally replicable implementation model that helps other cities launch community-driven urban forestry initiatives
The Impact
- Planted more than 50,000 trees across Davidson County, including nearly 23,000 trees through the Neighborhood Tree Captain program
- Expanded the Neighborhood Tree Captain network to nearly 200 community leaders, strengthening local leadership and civic participation
- Increased annual tree planting by more than 350% since launching the captain model, demonstrating the effectiveness of community-led implementation
- Helped reduce stormwater runoff, improve air quality, sequester carbon, lower neighborhood temperatures and expanded wildlife habitat through strategic tree planting
- Created cooler, greener neighborhoods by transforming private yards and underutilized spaces into connected urban forests and community gathering places
- Established permanent municipal funding for tree planting and maintenance, embedding urban forestry into Nashville's long-term climate resilience strategy
