NEWPORT, Ky. — With blazing heat sweeping the region, Kara Hahn said there's one thing she thinks the city of Newport is lacking. 

What You Need To Know

  • Hundreds of trees are coming to Newport's west side this fall 

  • That’s thanks to the Inflation Reduction Urban Forestry Grant, which was awarded to the city late last year

  • Groups like ReNewport, the Westside Citizens Coalition and Urban Canopy Works are removing concrete and planting up to 1,000 new trees

  • It’s the largest green investment in Newport history

“I am one of those people that complains if I have to walk this way with no trees,” she said. “Like, where’s the shade?”

Starting this October, Hahn and other people in Newport will be seeing a lot more trees on the city’s west side. The city is set to begin planting up to 1,000 new trees, thanks to the historic $1 million Inflation Reduction Urban Forestry Grant, which was awarded late last year.

Newport is working with ReNewport, the Westside Citizens Coalition and Urban Canopy Works to remove concrete and plant new trees.

“It's been a dream of mine to be able to do a project like this,” said Cassandra Homan-Wall, the city arborist for Newport. “It's literally about the air we breathe.”

She said the new trees will provide many benefits, such as less flooding and lower rates of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. 

“There’s just a whole slew of reasons why we want to put trees in neighborhoods,” Homan-Wall said. “We’re talking about an area that has so much pavement that there’s not really a lot of space to be adding trees. And because of all that pavement, we have hotter summers.”

It’s the largest green investment in Newport history.

“I’m definitely a tree person, so I absolutely love that idea," Hahn said. "As a little girl, we had a tree in our backyard, and I tried to get my mom to build a treehouse so I could sleep there. And she’s like, 'No.' She doesn’t like heights." 

Homan-Wall said Newport's west side is much less covered by tree canopy than other parts of the city. She added tree equity is the most important issue in urban forestry.

“I get to drive through all these communities and see trees that I’ve gotten to be a part of planting and know, like, 'Oh, this was only this big just a few years ago, and now it’s like a real shade tree,'" she said. "It’s doing something in this neighborhood. It’s so great; I love it."

The first official planting of about 100 trees is scheduled to begin Oct. 19. About 25 trees will initially be planted, with the rest planted throughout the fall during three mini-planting events. Plantings will take place every spring and fall until the closing of the grant in spring 2028.

Learn more about the free tree planting program by visiting ReNewport's website. 

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