City Aims to Increase Tree Canopy Around Title I Schools

The City of Frederick renewed its status as an official Bird City, a recognition program of Bird City Maryland. The City of Frederick is committed to managing green space to benefit birds, which also improves conditions for a host of other species … including people!

Volunteers plant a tree as part of the city’s efforts to increase the tree canopy in neighborhoods surrounding Title I schools.

Mobilize Frederick, a local climate-focused nonprofit organization, helped the city add a new habitat action in their renewal by launching the Cooler Neighborhoods program in 2025 with the goal of increasing city tree canopy cover in neighborhoods surrounding Title I schools. In 2025 the program planted 198 trees, with 52% of the trees being planted in census tracts that are marginalized by underinvestment and also overburdened by pollution. The city earned its first Bird City recognition in 2024 as a High Flyer and completed 30 action points as part of its renewal this year.

Frederick values its commitment to conservation. In addition to its Bird City and Bee City recognition, it has been a Tree City for 45 years and was the first city in Maryland to achieve that recognition. Recognition from these programs, including many bird-friendly actions, contributed to Frederick earning silver-level certification from Sustainable Maryland in 2025.

Frederick completed actions in four categories: Habitat, Threats to Birds, Education and Engagement, and Sustainability.

Watch a video about the City of Frederick’s Signature Bird, a Black-crowned Night Heron named Midnight Heronson.

In the Spring of 2026 a native, low-impact landscape was planted at Max Kehne Memorial Park. This planting includes five native plants with bloom times spread throughout the growing season to benefit insects and pollinators.

Frederick uses Integrated Pest Management to minimize pesticide and herbicide use including mechanical removal and biological control of invasives.
Frederick creatively used a social media campaign to choose their Signature Bird, including matching each bird with a Star Wars character. The selected bird, the Black-crowned Night Heron named Midnight Heronson, is a spokesbird for sustainability issues. A plushie version of Midnight accompanies Lauren Paulet, the Sustainability Outreach Coordinator for the City of Frederick, as she works with residents on environmental issues.
City residents can participate in a USDA-funded residential composting pilot program with services provided by Compost Crew.

Flyer showing the successful growth of the City of Frederick’s compost pick-up program.

The Bird City Maryland program, an initiative of Maryland Bird Conservation Partnership, was started in 2019 as a way to encourage communities in Maryland to enhance the environment for birds and educate the public about the contributions birds make to a healthy community. Communities must complete three actions in the Habitat category and at least one action each in the other three categories, as well as pass a resolution committing to becoming a Bird City. In 2023, Bird City Maryland joined the National Bird City Network, a joint venture of the American Bird Conservancy and Environment for the Americas. The Network unites and connects independent Bird City programs throughout the hemisphere who work directly with local communities to envision and complete bird-friendly actions. Together we form a powerful collaborative force–connecting people and helping birds across the hemisphere.

To view all of Frederick’s achievements visit: https://birdcity.org/maryland/frederick.

To learn more about the City of Frederick’s Cooler Neighborhoods program, visit Mobilize Frederick’s progress page.