American Forests
Description
Where a person lives should not determine whether they breathe clean air or have shade during extreme heat. In most American cities, it does. According to American Forests’ Tree Equity Score, lower-income neighborhoods average 26% less tree cover than wealthier ones and run nearly 6°F hotter. Neighborhoods where most residents are people of color have 38% less canopy and can run almost 13°F hotter than majority-white neighborhoods. This gap contributes to higher rates of respiratory and mental illness, increased medical and utility costs, and higher impacts of extreme weather events, for the people least able to absorb them.
American Forests treats trees as essential urban infrastructure that every neighborhood deserves. We partner with Mayors to inspire and equip communities to address disparities in tree cover while improving health, equity, and climate outcomes. Ultimately, we aim to reimagine American cities as greener, more resilient places to live.
Our Urban and Community Forestry program provides assistance to cities in five areas: (1) delivering science-based tools and resources to make data-driven decisions to grow and protect tree canopies, (2) providing expertise on urban forest planning and policy (3) helping community leaders unlock public and private funding for urban forestry, (4) developing local economies through urban forestry training and work experience, and (5) connecting cities to one another to learn from and advance innovations across the country.
American Forests has worked with 200+ cities, and we invite you to join the movement.
We are committed to doing this work with cities that need urban forests the most and are ready to collaborate. From Phoenix, AZ to Boynton Beach, FL and beyond – Mayors are making data-driven decisions, building urban forestry workforces, and investing in programs and policies to grow their urban forest, tree by tree.
We can provide initial consultation for city staff and partners to assess your urban forestry programs and develop a plan to initiate or strengthen your approach.
Description
Where a person lives should not determine whether they breathe clean air or have shade during extreme heat. In most American cities, it does. According to American Forests’ Tree Equity Score, lower-income neighborhoods average 26% less tree cover than wealthier ones and run nearly 6°F hotter. Neighborhoods where most residents are people of color have 38% less canopy and can run almost 13°F hotter than majority-white neighborhoods. This gap contributes to higher rates of respiratory and mental illness, increased medical and utility costs, and higher impacts of extreme weather events, for the people least able to absorb them.
American Forests treats trees as essential urban infrastructure that every neighborhood deserves. We partner with Mayors to inspire and equip communities to address disparities in tree cover while improving health, equity, and climate outcomes. Ultimately, we aim to reimagine American cities as greener, more resilient places to live.
Our Urban and Community Forestry program provides assistance to cities in five areas: (1) delivering science-based tools and resources to make data-driven decisions to grow and protect tree canopies, (2) providing expertise on urban forest planning and policy (3) helping community leaders unlock public and private funding for urban forestry, (4) developing local economies through urban forestry training and work experience, and (5) connecting cities to one another to learn from and advance innovations across the country.
American Forests has worked with 200+ cities, and we invite you to join the movement.
We are committed to doing this work with cities that need urban forests the most and are ready to collaborate. From Phoenix, AZ to Boynton Beach, FL and beyond – Mayors are making data-driven decisions, building urban forestry workforces, and investing in programs and policies to grow their urban forest, tree by tree.
We can provide initial consultation for city staff and partners to assess your urban forestry programs and develop a plan to initiate or strengthen your approach.