ASLA Helps Develop Crucial Climate Change Legislation
H.R. 5687, the Energy Conservation Through Trees Act, would reduce residential energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions in communities across the United States.

On April 22, Congresswoman Doris Matsui introduced H.R. 5687, the Energy Conservation Through Trees Act,which would reduce residential energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions in communities across the United States. H.R. 5687establishes a grant program to assist electricity providers in planting shade trees to insulate residential buildings, minimize home heating and cooling energy demand, and reduce greenhouse gas concentrations.

The Energy Conservation Through Trees Act is a major legislative victory for ASLA. The bill specifically recognizes the important role landscape architects can play in energy conservation and specifically mentions ASLA within the text of the bill. The Energy Conservation Through Trees Actalso includes several ASLA-recommended provisions, including establishing an education and information campaign to encourage residents to maintain their shade trees over a long term; requiring monitoring and reporting on the survival, growth, overall health, and estimated savings of the provided trees; and requiring tree recipients to provide stewardship and care of the trees.

The legislation recognizes the effectiveness of landscape architectural techniques included in ASLA’s Statement on Climate Change such as establishing tree canopies that sequester carbon, locating plantings to insulate buildings, and using native plant species. Additionally, H.R. 5687 would provide landscape architects the opportunity to demonstrate the profession’s impact on climate change and energy conservation to their communities by serving on Technical Advisory Committees.

As members of these advisory committees, landscape architects will provide advice and help develop guidelines including determining the appropriate location of trees; suggesting appropriate, noninvasive species for planting; monitoring and collecting data on energy conservation and carbon sequestration from new plantings; and educating the public on the benefits of shade trees.

The introduction of the Energy Conservation Through Trees Actwill provide greater opportunities for landscape architects to participate in future climate change legislation and further establish the profession as a leader in sustainable design techniques. ASLA will need your support as we work with Congress to pass the Energy Conservation Through Trees Act.

For more information on H.R. 5687, contact Dan Lijana, government affairs coordinator, at dlijana@asla.org.