Branch Out Bozeman
The Branch Out Bozeman: Urban Forest Network (BOB) initiative aims to foster a thriving and resilient urban forest accessible to all community members and wildlife. This initiative is bolstered by funding from the National Park Service Rivers Trails and Conservation Assistance Program and is a collaboration between the Gallatin Watershed Council and the City of Bozeman Forestry Division.
Why trees? The goal is to enhance Bozeman's tree canopy, maximizing its potential and creating tools to help the community plant trees in areas where they're needed most. Urban forests, like the one in Bozeman, offer numerous advantages. They contribute economically by lowering energy costs and boosting property values. Environmentally, they play a critical role in carbon sequestration and stormwater filtration. For public health, they purify the air and provide much-needed shade, while also offering social benefits by reducing crime and alleviating stress.
Bozeman is one of the fastest-growing micropolitan cities in the United States (Bozeman Daily Chronicle). As the population continues to grow, so does the need for housing accommodation and additional infrastructure for new residents. It is crucial to protect Bozeman's existing canopy and replace removed trees. We invite you to roll up your sleeves and volunteer and plant trees to grow the City’s urban forest.
The efforts of Branch Out Bozeman align with Bozeman’s Urban Forest Management Plan (2016) and with the City of Bozeman Climate Plan, both of which acknowledge the importance of a healthy urban forest in combating climate change and addressing community health.
Trees planted:
2021: 20 trees on S 20th Blvd, an area highly lacking in tree canopy
2022: 60 trees planted
25 more trees on S 20th Blvd, in partnership with Oboz Footwear
25 trees in Bronken Park, in partnership with Oboz Footwear
15 trees in Kirk Park, in partnership with a local Eagle Scout troop
2023: 229 trees and shrubs planted
30 trees along Highland Boulevard and the Softball Complex that drains into the East Gallatin
66 native riparian plants along the East Gallatin in Story Mill Park with Trout Unlimited
58 native plants in Gallatin County Regional Park with Sacajawea Audubon Society and the Craighead Institute
75 trees and shrubs along Mandeville Creek by Bozeman High School
2024: 281 trees and shrubs planted
Volunteer:
Visit our events page for upcoming tree-planting opportunities. If you have a site in mind and would like to lead your own planting event, email info@gallatinwatershedcouncil.org for more information.
