Our trees are planted around buildings to provide shade and to reduce energy consumption. The Baton Rouge Green school committee facilitates these projects with the principals and teachers. Baton Rouge Green is an advocate for our urban forest which improves air quality, saves energy, reduces noise pollution, increases economic stability, improves personal health, improved water quality, creates wildlife diversity, reduces the heat island effect, and adds beauty by softening the harsh lines of the urban world. The results of Baton Rouge Green projects have been significant. Citizens have an increased awareness of their personal contribution to the environment and to their urban forest.
Businesses enjoy increased economic activity brought by tree planting on adjacent roadways.
Our urban forest is a major social, environmental, and economic factor in our community representing one of the most important natural resource components of the city's infrastructure. Using aerial photography, students are taught how to apply geographic information systems to analyze the value of the urban forest on their school campuses. The analysis is conducted using CITYgreen , the American Forests ecosystem analysis program. The students conduct experiments that reveal to them the complex relationship between the urban forest and the environment. The goal is to bring modern technology into the classroom in a user-friendly format.