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This aerial image of St. Louis, Missouri shows the urban tree canopy of the central city, and the greenspace where the Gateway Arch is located.

Urban tree canopy inequity

Urban tree canopy inequity is defined by American Forests as the uneven distribution of urban trees in neighborhoods that are socioeconomically disadvantaged.  These neighborhoods that lack sufficient canopy cover compared to areas that have access to suitable canopy cover, experience inaccessibility to the benefits that trees provide, and other social inequalities. Many of the neighborhoods that are most impacted by this inequity are where minorities and impoverished populations reside.  This inequity of the urban tree canopy is caused by many social factors, such as environmental racism, which is environmental injustice that largely impacts racial groups by policies or practices, such as redlining policies. This resulted in the trend that poorer and predominantly minority neighborhoods experience less canopy cover.  

This inequitable distribution of canopy cover in lower socioeconomic neighborhoods has resulted in many social impacts that raise environmental justice concerns.  Urban tree canopy inequity limits the access to the beneficial ecosystem services that trees provide.  Populations that do not live in neighborhoods with suitable canopy cover do not experience the protection from the impacts of climate change and the urban heat island effect, air and water pollution, trapping of rainfall surface runoff, and energy savings on air conditioning from tree shade. These populations also do not benefit from the psychological benefits that trees provide, such as having areas that increase social cohesion and congregation, recreation, and nature aesthetics. An example of other social benefits associated with urban tree canopy includes a research study reviewed by The Children & Nature Network, an organization active in the movement of connecting children and their families to nature. Researchers conclude that there is a positive relationship between academic performance and tree cover and species composition, indicating that tree cover and species composition have a positive effect on the academic performance of primary school-aged children, especially those enrolled in socio-economically challenged schools.

There are many environmental impacts that are associated with the inequity of the urban tree canopy.  A lack of trees in neighborhoods and a heavy presence of impervious surfaces such as houses, sidewalks, and parking lots, contribute to the heat island effect and there is a lack of temperature moderation. In these areas, temperatures are more extreme.  Without the presence of trees, there would be poor air quality and an increase in air pollution as trees remove carbon and pollutants from the air through sequestration, and storing it in their structures. A lack of trees would also result in the risk of chemicals and other harmful pollutants entering water sources and collecting on sidewalks and roads, as they would not be present to increase infiltration and to help reduce and manage rainwater runoff. Biodiversity and habitat for animals decline in these areas as trees are not available for animals and plants to utilize.

As urban tree canopy inequity remains present in lower-socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods, impacting the livelihoods and environmental state of these areas and populations, efforts are being made by urban foresters, city officials, and organizations to address this problem and present solutions.  Examples of these efforts include the United States Forest Service outreach and education programs.  Organizations such as Casey Tree’s Community Tree Planting projects, the Greening of Detroit program, and American Forests help to implement programs and initiatives within cities and neighborhoods to engage volunteers, preserve and care for the urban forest and promote educational and career opportunities for the public. Case studies, such as one based in Washington D.C., analyze and contribute to the knowledge of urban tree canopy inequity by utilizing various methods including interviews, collaboration with private and public organizations, and community outreach that are successful and help present solutions for urban tree canopy inequity. The use of online applications such as i-Tree and its associated tree and forest assessment tools, and Tree Equity Score, along with many others, assist urban foresters, professionals, and students in conducting research on urban areas and presenting planning solutions to urban tree canopy inequity.