MERIDIAN, Idaho — On Saturday, Enterprise Mobility, Trees Idaho, and the Arbor Day Foundation worked in tandem to plant 50 trees at Rocky Mountain High School to combat the urban heat island effect in Meridian.
The City of Meridian and West Ada School District helped coordinate the planting effort.
The initiative is a part of the Arbor Day Foundation and Enterprise Mobility's 50 Million Trees Pledge, which seeks to plant 50 million trees in areas of need by the year 2056.
"The addition of canopy in urban communities like this will help to shade and cool residents and students for years to come. Additionally, studies have shown that having access to community greenery like trees and native vegetation can have positive benefits on residents’ physical and mental well-being." - Trees Idaho
Chief Executive of the Arbor Day Foundation, Dan Labme, praised the latest effort, saying highly developed urban areas need forests for both "the resilience of the environment and the health of urban residents.”
“The trees planted today will provide benefits for decades to come, creating cooler outdoor spaces, improving air quality, and enhancing the school environment for thousands of students,” added Emma Stammer, Executive Director of Trees Idaho.
