CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — The City of Chattanooga looks to become the first ever National Park City.

And according to city officials, it's closer than some may think.

The National Park City Foundation says national parks are a place set aside by the government to protect the environment.

However, a National Park City takes this to the next level by combining the long-term and large-scale vision of national parks with the city itself.

According to city officials, this goal is just within reach.

They say the City of Chattanooga was awarded a $6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to plant over two thousand trees, with the work that money helps pay for already underway.

"Trees serve all communities by providing shade, saving energy, reducing noise pollution, providing wildlife habitat, reducing flooding and producing oxygen," Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly said.

However, educators say if we want this to stick, it's up to the next generation to help do it.

"We need to be able to maintain our land and trees, but how can we if a lot of our kids don’t spend a lot of time outside?" asked Russell Meredith, principal of the Dawn School. "That's one of the things that we're going to help teach them is to nurture that like we try to nurture our students."

Kelly says the city are working on a new tree ordinance as well.

"That will strengthen the Tree Commission's ability to advise and act on urban forestry issues," Kelly said.

He says the new ordinances will be issued in May.

"To me, that's what it's more about, and the National Park City concept's more about that," Kelly said. "It's the ability of the of the land, and all the stuff that comes out of it, that grows out of it, to bring us together as people."