Urban forest inequity
[13][14] Trees and vegetation absorb and store rainwater during heavy rainfall events, reducing flood risk, and capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as part of climate change mitigation efforts.
[7][18] Numerous studies, including a 2017 meta-analysis done by researchers Ed Gerrish and Shannon Lea Watkins, have found a positive relationship between income and urban forest coverage.
[7] This introduces the concept of the luxury effects, which explains how the disparities in urban forest cover coincide with socio-economic and historical factors.
[18] For instance, canopy cover quantity in an area can diminish the urban heat island effect and increase carbon sequestration from the atmosphere.
[21] The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has found that inequities are most often visible along the lines of “income, race, color, or national origin.”[22] For example, South Africa historically has treated minority populations unequally, particularly by means of racial segregation, perhaps most clearly evident in the South African apartheid that occurred for the greater part of the twentieth century.
[4] This is due to a variety of reasons, which include but are not limited to lower albedo on urban surfaces, anthropogenic heat released from buildings and vehicles, and reduced areas of evapotranspiration.
has found that lower-income communities and those of color are particularly susceptible to the phenomenon known as intra-urban heat islands, which is due, in part, to historical redlining.
The evidence showed that they mostly exist in the wealthy areas of the capital city, while the more populated lower-income communities lacked green public spaces.
Some argue this may include activists and policymakers engaging directly with marginalized communities,[28] public investment in underserved neighborhoods, and tighter government restrictions regarding land use and pollution concerns.
[29] A 2023 article published in the National League of Cities offered several potential solutions to combat urban heat islands, which included but are not limited to: increasing green space by planting trees along streets or sidewalks, converting existing roof spaces to green roofs, replacing normal pavement with sustainable alternatives, subsidies for planting trees, and active engagement of low-income communities, among others.
These initiatives aim to provide resources and support to historically underserved areas, thereby contributing to a more equitable urban environment.
[15] However, it is important to recognize that simply planting trees in low canopy-covered areas may not be sufficient to combat this environmental inequity.
[34] Guided by considerations of health and socioeconomic factors, the initiative targeted neighbourhoods with the greatest lack of trees, aiming to improve urban canopy coverage by 20%.
[34] MillionTreesNYC serves as a notable example of effectively increasing canopy cover in historically underserved areas, inspiring similar efforts in other cities, including Los Angeles.
