Southside ReLeaf Launches Citywide Earth Month Ad Campaign to Address Urban Heat and Expand Tree Canopy in Richmond
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 1, 2026
Contact: Sheri Shannon, sheri@southsidereleaf.org
Multimedia campaign developed with local creative agency Ryano Graphics encourages residents to help create cooler, healthier neighborhoods
RICHMOND, VA — Today, Southside ReLeaf announced the launch of a new multimedia advertising campaign for “Cool the City,” an initiative to raise awareness of the impacts of extreme heat on our health and to plant more trees in neighborhoods that need them most. The campaign will run throughout the spring and summer months as Richmond enters its hottest time of year.
Developed in partnership with Richmond-based Black-owned creative agency Ryano Graphics, the campaign will roll out across multiple media platforms to kick off Earth Month, including billboards, bus shelter advertisements, radio spots, social media, earned television interviews, email outreach, and a newly launched website, coolthecity.com.
The “Cool the City” ad campaign also coincides with the arrival of spring and warming temperatures, a time that brings renewed attention to the importance of shade, trees, and green spaces in Richmond’s neighborhoods.
“Many Richmond residents are already starting to feel the heat this year,” said Amy Wentz, co-founder of Southside ReLeaf and a leader in the Cool the City coalition. “By mid-summer, it’s going to be worse. We can save more lives by cooling neighborhoods with trees, gardens, and plants, and by reducing pavement. This campaign helps people understand why tree canopy matters — and how real solutions are already taking root to improve our health, lower energy costs, and ensure every Richmonder enjoys a high quality of life.”
Access to green space and tree canopy cover in Richmond is unevenly distributed. The life expectancy of Southside residents is up to 20 years shorter than in other areas of the city. Southside residents also have higher asthma rates and are most affected by Urban Heat Islands. Neighborhoods with fewer trees and more pavement can experience temperatures up to 16 degrees hotter than greener parts of the city during summer heat waves.
The campaign highlights the connection between trees, public health, and climate resilience while amplifying the voices of Richmond leaders and community partners working to expand tree canopy in neighborhoods that need it most.
About the Campaign
The advertising initiative was created by Ryano Graphics, a creative agency specializing in visual storytelling and community-centered design. Campaign visuals feature Richmond residents and neighborhood landscapes to highlight the local impact of urban heat and the power of community-driven solutions.
“Working on the Cool the City campaign gave us an opportunity to translate an important local issue into visuals and stories that resonate with Richmond residents,” said Shannon Bass, Senior Graphic Designer and Owner of Ryano Graphics. “Our goal was to create a campaign that reflects the people and neighborhoods of Richmond while encouraging everyone to imagine what a cooler, greener future for the city could look like.”
The campaign’s main video features 12 community leaders working on climate action across housing, public art, food justice, health care, and urban forestry in Richmond. Three additional videos include interviews with:
Amy Wentz of Southside ReLeaf
Faith Harris of Virginia Interfaith Power & Light
Dr. Joe Fields-Johnson of Dandelion Health
Outdoor advertising will include three billboards located across Richmond and five to eight bus shelter advertisements within city limits. Radio public service announcements and paid advertisements will run on local stations throughout the campaign period. The campaign will also feature social media outreach through the coalition’s Instagram (@coolthecity) and Facebook (@coolthecityrva) accounts, as well as email communications and media interviews with campaign partners.
The campaign is supported by a $89,000 advertising initiative made possible through a $6 million grant awarded to the City of Richmond in 2024 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service.
Building on a Year of Community Progress
Cool the City is a collaborative effort that brings together Richmond-based community organizations and city agencies to expand tree canopy and address urban heat. Since last year’s launch during Earth Month, the coalition has:
Planted more than 1,100 trees and shrubs in neighborhoods experiencing high levels of urban heat.
Engaged more than 850 community members in education, outreach, and volunteer activities.
Graduated 26 individuals who completed agroforestry workforce development programs.
Created five new green jobs in Richmond.
“This campaign is just the beginning,” said Sarah Wilkinson, Southside ReLeaf’s Communications Director. “With continued community involvement, Richmond can become a city where every neighborhood has the trees, shade, and green spaces people need to thrive.”
Residents can learn more about urban heat, explore neighborhood greening efforts, and find opportunities to volunteer or advocate for cooler streets at coolthecity.com.
Cool the City Featured Ad: “Richmond, Let’s Cool the City!”
Ten Richmond voices. One shared message.
Campaign Video Script
Did you know that some neighborhoods in Richmond are up to 16 degrees hotter than others?
That’s not by accident. It’s by design.
For too long, these neighborhoods have been left without the shade and safety that trees bring.
But here’s what we do know — every tree planted is an act of resistance.
We’re standing with Cool the City and the communities in the East End and Southside.
We’re working to cool our streets and build the future we all deserve.
We’re planting trees where they’re needed most.
We’re sharing knowledge that keeps families healthy.
We’re creating pathways to good-paying green jobs.
This isn’t just about trees. It’s about community. It’s about action.
It’s about building something better, together.
Cooler streets. Healthier lives. Greener futures.
These are our neighborhoods. This is our movement.
Join us. Let’s Cool The City.
About Cool the City
The Cool the City Coalition is a collaborative campaign to create greener, healthier futures in Richmond’s neighborhoods that need them most. The coalition works to expand tree canopy, build tomorrow’s green workforce, and increase the capacity of the City of Richmond and its nonprofit partners to deliver lasting change. Through community partnerships, education, and investment in urban forestry, Cool the City is helping create cooler streets, healthier lives, and greener futures across Richmond. Coalition partners include: Southside ReLeaf, Groundwork RVA, Happily Natural Day, Virginia Interfaith Power and Light, Office of Sustainability, Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities, and Department of Public Works - Urban Forestry Division.
Funding for this project is provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, in partnership with the City of Richmond. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
