Justyce brant
urban forestry Program Director
Profile by Robin Brodt
Rooted in Community: Justyce Brant and Spokane’s Urban Forest
Like all staff at The Lands Council, Urban Forestry Program Director Justyce Brandt wears many hats. Alongside Restoration Program Director Kat Hall, she runs two ambitious tree-planting initiatives — SpoCanopy and its countywide counterpart CoolCanopy — both designed to expand Spokane’s urban forest and green its neighborhoods.
“I run the largest urban forestry tree-planting program in Eastern Washington, so I need a lot of trees,” Justyce said with a laugh. “Most of our trees come from the west side of Oregon because they grow faster there. The Spokane Conservation District cares for them — babying them and getting them used to our climate — until I’m ready to plant them.”
Working in collaboration with Spokane’s Urban Forestry Program, The Lands Council focuses its efforts on city neighborhoods where concrete and asphalt often outnumber trees and gardens. Their shared goal: achieve 30 percent canopy coverage by 2030.
And the benefits extend far beyond shade. The new trees help boost property values, clean the air, lower summer temperatures, reduce flooding, and create habitat for birds and other wildlife.
How It Works
Residents can sign up for trees on The Lands Council’s website. Then, Justyce visits to talk through options.
“I have a binder that shows all the available trees, and they get to choose,” she explained. “Usually, people are thrilled. These trees would normally retail for $200 to $250, and they’re getting them for free. They’re kind of blown away.”
For many, it’s about connection. “People want a way to do good,” Justyce said. “Through this program, we help them reconnect with nature and give them a way to care for the land — and for each other.”
That connection often lasts generations. “One man told me he has a young daughter and was excited for her to grow up alongside these trees that will shade and beautify their neighborhood.”
In 2024, SpoCanopy served neighborhoods including Bemiss, Chief Garry Park, Cliff-Cannon, East Central, Emerson Garfield, Hillyard, Logan, Minnehaha, Nevada Heights, North Hill, Shiloh Hills, West Central, and Whitman.
Fun with Numbers — Jeopardy Style
To make their impact tangible, Justyce created a Jeopardy-style game using The Lands Council’s own statistics.
“It was a fun way to show the scope of our work,” she said, pulling up a document that looked just like the famous game board. The categories — Education, Restoration, Trees, Public Lands, and Development — reflected how interconnected the Council’s programs are.
Some sample clues:
SpoCanopy planted 782 mature trees last year.
The Lands Council took 4,296 students on field trips.
Staff and volunteers carried 78,300 gallons of water to hand-water riparian trees.
“This is a game,” she said, “but it helps frame our work. One of the most important numbers is nine — that’s how many staff members we have. Two of us run the tree-planting programs and SnowSchool. That’s Kat and me. It’s crazy — but it’s so cool.”
The Overstory
Justyce was one of the first women at Whitworth University to earn a degree in environmental science. She began volunteering at The Lands Council soon after, where she met Kat Hall and Executive Director Amanda Parrish — two women who would become her mentors.
“I feel really good in this space, working with Kat and Amanda,” she said. “They’ve mentored and trusted me through my career here. It’s such a great place to grow.”
While she loves every part of her job, introducing local kids to the outdoors holds special meaning.
“I grew up here and wasn’t financially able to enjoy the outdoors in the winter — just like many of the students we work with,” she said. “They may have lived here all their lives but don’t even know there’s a mountain in their backyard. It brings me so much joy to help them experience the beauty and wonder of a place they’ve always called home.”
She smiled. “I specialize in being at the back of the trail with the students who need a little extra encouragement to make it up that mountain.”
Each winter, when the tree-planting season pauses, Justyce and Kat lead SnowSchool, a program that takes students to Mount Spokane to learn about snow science and climate change — snowshoes included.
“One day, I was with a fourth-grade group on a freezing, snowy day,” she recalled. “A sweet girl named Evelyn was stomping around saying, ‘I hate the snow! I hate the winter!’ I asked if I could hold her hand and we started talking about her favorite animals — horses and birds. Before long, she was smiling.”
As they hiked, they came across another student who was struggling. “Evelyn dropped my hand, went over to her, and said, ‘Hey, can I hold your hand?’ Then she asked her the same question — ‘What’s your favorite animal?’ — and they walked hand-in-hand the rest of the way.”
Days later, Justyce received a letter from Evelyn.
“She drew a picture of the two of us and wrote, ‘Dear Justyce, thank you for trusting me and encouraging me to keep going. One of my favorite parts was when we were trying to find snowflakes on our gloves.’”
Justyce paused. “That was one of the sweetest things I’ve ever experienced — and one of the many reasons I love my job.”
