The Neighborhood Tree Act of 2026 establishes a new federal fund to help states, local governments, Indian tribes, and community organizations plant and maintain trees in neighborhoods across the country. The bill creates the Neighborhood Tree Fund within the existing Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act, with mandatory funding starting at $100 million in 2027 and increasing to $700 million by 2031. Priority will be given to projects in low-income neighborhoods and formerly redlined areas that have less tree coverage, higher temperatures, and greater exposure to the urban heat island effect. The legislation recognizes that tree canopy is distributed unequally across racial and economic lines, with communities of color and low-income areas having significantly less tree cover than wealthier, white neighborhoods, and aims to address these disparities while providing benefits like improved air quality, reduced energy costs, and better public health. The bill also expands the advisory council overseeing urban forestry programs to include more community representatives from small towns and low-income areas.
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