Buffalo’s Equity in Street Trees program (BEST) is an initiative of the City of Buffalo Division of Parks & Recreation that will focus on planting trees in neighborhoods that need them the most. BEST will do this by getting out into the neighborhoods lacking in street trees and giving residents the information and tools to bring trees to their blocks.

The BEST program is funded by a grant from the USDA Forest Service, Urban and Community Forestry (UCF) Program and focuses on increasing tree canopy, especially in disadvantaged communities.

In 2025, the City of Buffalo brought on the UB Regional Institute (UBRI) to help with community outreach and programming to get the word out about the program, the benefit of street trees, and how to get involved. Throughout 2025, UBRI will work with the City of Buffalo Division of Parks and Recreation to develop programming that promotes the program’s goals and gets residents, neighborhoods, and community groups involved in expanding the street tree canopy in the neighborhoods that need it most.