Many people take trees for granted — except those who don’t have any in their neighborhoods. Arbor Day was this past Friday, April 28, and while some urban and suburban areas are lush with mature trees providing a beautiful green canopy, the numerous benefits of trees are often unavailable to those in under-resourced neighborhoods.
A Chicago Region Trees Initiative analysis of the region’s tree canopy shows that areas with less canopy tend to have greater percentages of people of color, higher summer temperatures, increased air and water pollution, and lower incomes. Science has demonstrated how the presence of neighborhood trees can be the difference between life and death for vulnerable populations.
