Established in 1991, the Milwaukee Urban Forestry Fund was created to improve quality of life for residents through tree planting and improved access to green spaces. Your contribution to the Milwaukee Urban Forestry Fund through the City’s annual UPAF/VISIONS Campaign helps support tree planting projects that improve our neighborhoods, benefit the environment and connect us to nature.
We live, work and play in a world-class urban forest. Milwaukee’s urban forest is a vibrant network of over 3.4 million trees on public and private property that helps regulate and enhance our environment and connects us to nature. Look outside, Milwaukee’s trees work hard every day to clean the air we breathe, soak up stormwater, provide shade and save us money on summer energy costs. Milwaukee’s trees also look great and provide habitat for wildlife. While they can scream for attention with spring blossoms or bright fall color, most often, Milwaukee’s trees quietly play their role in the urban landscape. Learn about all the wonderful things a tree can do, while just standing there!
Milwaukee’s Urban Forest Benefits
Milwaukee’s urban forest provides economic, environmental, and social benefits to our community often referred to as the triple bottom line or people, planet and profit. Benefits from trees increase over time as they grow. On average, benefits exceed the cost of tree planting and maintenance delivering a 300% return-on-investment.
The annual return-on-investment provided by Milwaukee’s urban forest includes:
- $18.8 million in air pollution removal
- $7.5 million in avoided stormwater runoff
- $1.45 million in energy savings
- $1.1 million in carbon storage
Milwaukee’s urban forest is worth the investment.