Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont Tours Urban Resources Initiative Efforts in New Haven’s Hill Neighborhood

Yale School of the Environment

Governor Ned Lamont visited the Hill neighborhood to highlight state legislation aimed at increasing urban tree canopy by 5% in environmental justice communities across Connecticut.

The event showcased the partnership model behind getting trees planted in underserved neighborhoods – work that requires far more than saplings. The Urban Resources Initiative (URI), based at YSE, coordinates with city offices, residents, community organizations, and nonprofits to identify sites, prepare tree pits, and mobilize volunteers. URI’s Green Jobs program employs Yale students, while partner organization EMERGE hires formerly incarcerated individuals for planting work. Residents on streets like Elliott receive postcards offering free trees for their homes. In attendance were New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker (a YSE alum), DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes, and other representatives from DEEP and EMERGE. As URI Director Colleen Murphy-Dunning noted during the visit, the program’s success comes from partnerships with schools, nonprofits, and communities.

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