No matter where you are on your sustainable journey, everyone can play a part in moving Cedar Rapids toward a more sustainable future.

EcoFest is back in person!



Come celebrate Earth Day in person at NewBo City Market’s courtyard for the first time in two years! EcoFest is set for Saturday, April 23, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Come for any or all of the great activities, including:



• Yoga at 10 a.m.
• Face painting at 10 a.m.
• RARE Raptor Program at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
• Music at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 2 p.m.
• Green Homes Challenge recognition with Mayor Tiffany O'Donnell at 12 p.m.
• Nature & Forest Therapy Walk at 1 p.m.
• A bike raffle and many other giveaways
• More than 20 tables and organizations with great environmental education and resources
• Excellent food and beverages inside NewBo City Market

At 12 p.m. on the main stage, find out which quadrant and three neighborhoods have the most Green Homes challenge participants from Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell.

Join the good time by yourself or with all your friends and family. For more on this year’s EcoFest event, visit the EcoFest website at https://ecofestcr.org/

Cedar Rapids launches Micromobility Program

Cedar Rapids' Micromobility Program launched on April 1 for its fourth year. The City partnered with Veo to give residents and visitors the opportunity to incorporate micromobility into their daily lives. Users can rent an e-bike or scooter through the Veo app on their smart phone.

“Every year we learn from experience and make adjustments to the program to better suit everybody’s needs,” said Trent Cerra, a planner for Cedar Rapids. “We’ve made some changes this year to City code and the agreement with Veo to promote safer riding habits.”

This year, the City focused on improving the following elements of the micromobility program:

• ID verification technology will be required for all riders. The requirement for riders to be at least 18 years of age to ride remains.
• Riders will need to take a safety quiz at the beginning of each season.
• Veo staff will act more quickly to return devices parked outside of marked areas. Idle time was previously 72 hours. The new idle time is 48 hours.
• Devices will not be allowed to drive into “special event” areas defined by the City’s special events team.
• Increased education efforts will focus on safety, rules of the road, and better parking practices.

“Across the country, around half of all trips are less than three miles, and about 20 percent are shorter than a mile,” said Cerra. “Short trips are great candidates for micromobility devices and transit. Riding an ebike or scooter uses less energy than driving a car and is better for the environment.”

“We are thrilled to be working with the City of Cedar Rapids to provide sustainable, convenient transportation options for residents and visitors,” said Candice Xie, CEO of Veo. “Veo’s unique mixed fleet of seated scooters, standing scooters, and e-bikes expands access by giving riders options to choose a vehicle that best meets their needs.”

To celebrate the spring reopening, riders can use the promo code CRspring22 for $5 in ride credit through April 9. You can learn more about the City’s micromobility program at CityofCR.com, including safety tips and rules for riders.

ReLeaf plan focuses on rebuilding resilience through trees



Immediately following the devastating derecho on August 10, 2020, City leadership identified that recovery would rely on thoughtful work and planning to restore the tree canopy better than it was before. The goal was to not only replace what was lost, but also address expected challenges for future generations through the environmental benefits of a healthy urban forest.

As a result, the City entered into a partnership with Trees Forever, who contracted with Jeff Speck of Speck and Associates, and Confluence, Inc., to develop a plan that could serve as a public resource to guide future decision-making related to the restoration of the tree canopy in Cedar Rapids. The public and multiple other partners participated in the plan including Monarch Research. The completed plan was adopted by City Council in February and has moved into the implementation stage.

The ReLeaf plan focuses on rebuilding a resilient canopy of mostly native trees, one that preserves citywide plant diversity and distinct neighborhood character, while striving to limit climate change, increase social equity, encourage volunteerism, and grow human capital. It targets the needs of the City, institutions, non-profits, large-lot owners, and residents with tree planting education and information that can be followed as an operational handbook for the next ten years.

Over 7,500 street locations were evaluated and scored based on factors including prior canopy, urban heat islands, population density, social vulnerability, tree loss, pedestrian infrastructure demand, roadway classification, and available planting sites. This resulted in a prioritized inventory of right-of-way trees to plant over the ten-year cycle.

To review the plan, a comprehensive list of recommended trees, a step-by-step guide to planting, and maps depicting street and park planting prioritizations, read the plan on the City’s website at CityofCR.com/ReLeaf.