GOSHEN, Ind. — Goshen Tree Equity leadership is gaining national attention. as American Forests spotlights the city as one of four communities in a recent video and article showcasing a national movement rooted in local action.
The recognition places Goshen alongside Atlanta, Phoenix and New Orleans as cities expanding tree canopy through partnerships and sustained community effort.
American Forests, a national nonprofit, works with local leaders, community groups and faith-based organizations to provide funding, tools and support.
The effort aims to ensure the benefits of trees reach all neighborhoods.
In the piece, written by Ciana Williams, Goshen stands out for its long-term strategy and measurable progress.
Video: From the Groud Up
Goshen Tree Equity leadership gains national spotlight
The city set a goal of reaching 45% tree canopy by 2045. Since adopting that target, Goshen has recorded roughly 3% growth in overall canopy coverage, reversing prior losses and pushing total coverage beyond earlier levels.
Expanded canopy carries practical benefits beyond shade. Trees reduce extreme heat and stabilize soil, slowing stormwater during flood events.
The effort gained urgency after the 2018 flood, which damaged 300 properties and caused $20 million in losses across the city.
“That was a wake up call for certain members of our community,” said Aaron Sawatsky-Kingsley. “Trees in our urban setting are the easiest way to prepare for flood scenarios. But we have to prepare enough. We can’t grow a 50-foot tree in a year.”
Investing in long-term canopy growth
Goshen established its Department of Environmental Resilience in 2020 in response, aligning infrastructure planning with natural solutions.
The City of Goshen received a $1 million grant in 2024 from the United States Department of Agriculture. Funding is expected to run through 2027. American Forests helps facilitate the grant. It supports tree planting, removal of hazardous trees in public rights of way and removal of invasive species.
Sawatsky-Kingsley said the grant also supports a junior arborist training program through the Crossing School of Entrepreneurship and development of a second tree nursery near Goshen Municipal Airport.
“There’s this very peculiar sense in Goshen where people are willing to put their differences aside and come together for the common good,” said Gina Leichty. “There’s a recognition that we rise together and we fall together. That’s how these extraordinary things happen, like cherishing our tree canopy.”
That mindset shapes not just how Goshen talks about trees, but how it commits to growing them over time.
“You may never benefit from [planting trees], and you may never know who’s going to benefit from them, but somebody will,” Sawatsky-Kingsley said. “Caring for trees is caring for people. If you care for your kids, for your grandkids, then you got to plant a tree.”