America the Beautiful

The City of Boise is proud to join leading conservation organizations, National Geographic, the Biden-Harris administration, and other government agencies in a global effort to support our environment. This effort is called America the Beautiful. The goal is to conserve at least 30 percent of land and water all over the world by 2030. It’s an ambitious undertaking, but one that will help protect clean drinking water sources, combat the negative impacts of climate change, protect endangered species and more.

Now is the time to act to create real and lasting change. By creating a set of America the Beautiful goals unique to Boise, we are directly preserving native habitat in our open spaces, managing park properties to promote pollinators, increasing the city’s tree canopy and promote healthy soils – all while protecting the Boise River for generations to come.

2022 Report

Our Goals and How We're Getting There

Open Space

1. Manage 30% of open space and native habitat areas by using science-based land management actions to build resistant, resilient ecosystems in the Boise Foothills and along the Boise River.

  • Plant native species and support habitat restoration work (example: native plant enhancement in Foothills East Reserve)
  • Protect trees and vegetation along the Boise River corridor (example: actively managed 73 acres of riparian habitat and 54 acres along the Boise River Greenbelt in 2022)
Fly fisherman in Boise River
Boise River

Park Sites

2. Increase by 30% actively managed native habitat areas in improved park sites.

  • Plant pollinator gardens and teach residents about their benefits (example: Mariposa Park)
  • Increase natural areas managed throughout the park system (example: the opening of Bowler Park in Southeast Boise)
Mariposa Pollinator Garden
Mariposa Park Pollinator Garden

Fundraising

3. Raise a total of $30 million to protect more open space and clean water resources and enhance community restoration projects.

  • Raise additional $10 million to protect property in the Boise Foothills for generations to come (example: Boise Foothills levies that have already raised $20 million toward this goal)
  • In 2022, we received $3,000 from Idaho Fish and Wildlife for Pollinator Education and $4,600 from HDR for Bethine Church Restoration
Bethine Church River Trail
Bethine Church River Trail

Engagement

4. Grow our engagement opportunities by 30% to provide meaningful experiences for community members.

  • Caring for Parks Volunteer Opportunities (examples: City Nature Challenge, Pollinator Posse, Adopt-the-Greenbelt, the Rose Garden, Boise in Bloom)
  • Open Space Volunteer Opportunities (examples: Boise Urban Garden School volunteers, AmeriCorps team members, Weed Warriors, Ridge to Rivers trail service projects, Adopt-a-Habitat)
  • Promote the conservation of pollinators in the city (example: Bee Watch, a new community science program in 2022, is monitoring 15 sites across open space reserves, park sites and the Boise River Greenbelt)
Group of people pulling goatheads
Weed Warriors

Tree Canopy

5. Increase tree canopy cover in Boise to 30% through the Elaine Clegg City of Trees Challenge

  • 10,700 trees were planted in 2022; since 2020, the Elaine Clegg City of Trees Challenge has documented over 15,100 tree plantings
  • Identify planting locations and provide planting assistance to communities in Boise that need trees the most (example: Boise Tree Captains identified 160 planting sites and helped plant at over 60 of those in 2022)
Tree lined sidewalk in downtown Boise
Tree lined sidewalk in downtown Boise

Other Resources

Message Sent Successfully!

Message Failed To Send.

Send a Message to Parks and Rec

For other after hours park related emergencies (i.e. irrigation issues, restrooms), please call (208) 489-6640.