Natural History Wanderings

The Revelator reports on A project in Los Angeles could help communities that lack tree canopy and provide a much-needed tool to protect residents from dangerous temperatures.

As heat wave after heat wave scorches the West this summer, it may feel like there’s no escape from the record-breaking temperatures. But mounting research shows one way to help beat the heat: Urban communities with more tree cover fare much better than those that lack a green canopy.

This lack of “tree equity” strongly correlates with race and income. A study of more than 3,000 communities across the United States determined that poor communities with a majority of people of color tend to have less green infrastructure and fewer trees than well-to-do, white areas.

Read more at  Closing the Tree Equity Divide • The Revelator