SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS)- Downtown Shreveport is getting new life thanks to forward-thinking city councilmembers who realize trees are good for both people and business.
Trees in downtown city centers can help cool the area and improve air quality, make a city more walkable, and help people enjoy being around nature. But in downtown Shreveport, some of the trees were either dead or dying, and around 70 of them needed to be replaced.
Some trees had been hit by cars. Others were killed by pests. But the biggest tree-killing incident in downtown Shreveport was the snowstorm of 2021.
Liz Swaine, with the Downtown Development Authority, spoke with former councilmember Lavette Fuller, who in turn spoke with her fellow council members about the issue.
Together, they were able to approve the funding needed to replace the dead and dying trees.
KTAL NBC 6 News spoke with some downtown employees who say the trees make it feel more relaxing to walk or ride a bike downtown. And the more that people enjoy nature downtown, the better the businesses alongside the shaded sidewalks will do, too.
Healthy trees and a healthy economy. That is literally the plan.
To keep up with everything going on in downtown Shreveport click HERE.
