Trees and Equity
Tree Cove Inequality
Source: The New York Times
Last month, we put out a newsletter on the many essential benefits of trees in urban spaces. Unfortunately, it will come as no surprise that like most things, trees are not distributed equitably. Recently, American Forest published findings that "confirm a disturbing pattern of inequitable distribution of trees that has deprived many communities of color of the health and other benefits that sufficient tree cover can deliver." The study found that "communities of color have 33% less tree canopy on average than majority white communities," and that "neighborhoods with 90% or more of their residents living in poverty have 41% less tree canopy than communities with only 10% or less of the population in poverty. In other words: environmental racism and classism permeates even tree distribution.
Racist policies have made homeownership less attainable for people of color, displacing them into more polluted and densely populated neighborhoods where trees have more trouble growing and don't receive public investment. It's time to start viewing trees as critical infrastructure—as essential as running water. No tree planting program is worthwhile unless it works against the centuries of racist urban planning that has left people of color without shade.
D.C. heat map | the D.C. Policy Center. Can you see the income inequality?
The Health Benefits of Trees:
Boost our immune systems
Reduce heart rate and blood pressure
Improve mood
Provide shade from UV rays
Clean pollutants out of the air
Patients recover from surgery faster and better when they have a "green" view.