“If this heat wave had you ducking from the sun, you may have a new appreciation for how shady your neighborhood is — or isn’t.
A leafy tree canopy can keep temperatures cooler by nearly 10 degrees compared to nearby paved areas. And trees have other benefits, too: keeping the air cleaner, raising property values and even reducing crime.
But not all neighborhoods are equal when it comes to trees. A new report from the nonprofit American Forests finds that neighborhoods with more low-income households and people of color tend to have fewer trees.
Achieving tree equity has become more important in the context of climate change, and it’s become a bigger challenge as cities cut down thousands of ash trees sickened by the emerald ash borer. ”
— MPR News