Greening of Detroit works to restore green canopy, fills in gaps in local government services in wake of ash borer; Detroit, MI

The Associated Press: Nonprofit works to restore green canopy to Detroit
By DAVID RUNK – 11 hours ago
DETROIT (AP) — A batch of trees that will soon be planted on a wild, overgrown patch of land near a Detroit neighborhood is expected to be a step toward bringing back a vibrant, green canopy to the Motor City.
The nonprofit group Greening of Detroit is pushing urban reforestation — even during a tough economy — with projects as diverse as a Christmas tree farm, neighborhood gardens and thousands of tree plantings along busy streets.
'The need is expanding, so we're trying to keep pace,' said Rebecca Salminen Witt, the organization's president.
Known a century ago for its tree-lined streets and neighborhoods, the city saw much of its greenery fall casualty to the spread of Dutch elm disease in the 1950s and, more recently, the tree-killing emerald ash borer.
These days, there is no time for replanting because the city's more than 50 forestry employees are focused on cutting down dead or dying trees across Detroit's 138 square miles.