Mission & Focus
Mission & Vision
The Tacoma Tree Foundation is focused on educating, empowering, and supporting community greening efforts in the Greater Tacoma area, Pierce County, and the watersheds of the Puget Sound.
Our future has trees in every neighborhood, healthy vibrant and cohesive communities that sustain tree planting, tree care and tree education. Neighbors helping neighbors to grow a greener, healthier, and more connected Greater Tacoma, Pierce County and the watersheds of Puget Sound.
History
The Tacoma Tree Foundation was created in 2018 as a result of a growing awareness of the interest and excitement that area residents have for trees. TTF was created to educate, support, and coordinate community planting in the Tacoma area.
Land Acknowledgement
ʔuk’ʷədiid čəł ʔuhigʷəd txʷəl tiiɫ ʔa čəɫ ʔal tə swatxʷixʷtxʷəd ʔə tiiɫ puyaləpabš. ʔa ti dxʷʔa ti swatxʷixʷtxʷəd ʔə tiiɫ puyaləpabš ʔəsɫaɫaɫlil tul’al tudiʔ tuhaʔkʷ. didiʔɫ ʔa həlgʷəʔ ʔal ti sləx̌il. dxʷəsɫaɫlils həlgʷəʔ gʷəl ƛ’uyayus həlgʷəʔ gʷəl ƛ’uƛ’ax̌ʷad həlgʷəʔ tiiɫ bədədəʔs gʷəl tix̌dxʷ həlgʷəʔ tiił ʔiišəds həlgʷəʔ gʷəl ƛ’uʔalalus həlgʷəʔ gʷəl ƛ’utxʷəlšucidəb. x̌ʷəla···b ʔə tiiɫ tuyəl’yəlabs.
We gratefully honor and acknowledge that we rest on the traditional lands of the Puyallup People. The Puyallup people have lived on this land since the beginning of time. They are still here today. They live, work, raise their children, take care of their community, practice their traditional ways and speak the Twulshootseed language – just as their ancestors did.
Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (JEDI
)
Tacoma Tree Foundation deeply values the diversity of the greater Tacoma community and is committed to being an anti-racist organization with an institutional culture grounded in Justice, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (JEDI). Read our full JEDI statement here.
Impact
Tacoma needs trees. We have the lowest tree canopy coverage of any city in Western Washington, and those trees are concentrated in parks, steep slopes, and wealthier/whiter neighborhoods. Parts of the city with more social and economic opportunity benefit from 15% more tree coverage than other areas, which is a big deal when the overall city average is only 20%! We are trying to change that, and this map shows the progress we can make when we have broad-based community support. Read more here.
Goals
At the Tacoma Tree Foundation, we see greening as a gateway to civic engagement and an opportunity to cultivate social cohesion. We focus our efforts on educating, empowering, and supporting community members in greening activities. Together we can grow a greener, healthier, and more connected Greater Tacoma area. Click here to see our full Strategic Plan.