Richmond kicks off Cool the City campaign

April 21, 2025, VPM

The City of Richmond is celebrating Earth Day by throwing a party — specifically, one that kicks off its Cool the City campaign.

Cool the City is a five-year greening and capacity building project, funded by a $6 million grant from the US Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service. It’s based on years of planning, outreach and research on the part of the city and partner organizations.

You can plant a lot of trees with millions of dollars — and that’s part of the plan. But there’s more to it.