urban ecology

Overview 

“Trees are not just scenery. They’re critical infrastructure for the health and wealth and well-being of communities. Distributing the cooling shade of trees more equitably across our cities is an absolutely essential strategy. We like to say that hashtag tree equity equals hashtag health equity.” — Jad Daley, President, American Forests

Cities: bustling havens full of tall buildings, busy people, and heavy traffic. They are hubs of new ideas and technologies, and the places where culture constantly grows and thrives. 

What is something that most cities lack? Sufficient amounts of trees and greenery. With extensive quantities of concrete and a dearth of trees, neighborhoods within cities can easily become urban heat islands. These “heat islands” are marked by a lack of plant life and strong presence of dark cement, absorbing the sun’s heat and becoming lethally warm in the summers, which continue to grow hotter as Earth’s average temperature steadily rises. What’s more, these disproportionately occur in marginalized communities and communities of color. A look into history shows us that this is not incidental. 

In the 1930s and 1940s, cities throughout the United States were divided to create racially segregated communities in line with Jim Crow laws. To force people of color into certain neighborhoods, maps of cities were drawn up, and the neighborhoods in which people of color were allowed to live were shaded in red, bringing about the term “redlining.” Banks would only give loans or sell mortgages to people of color who were purchasing homes in those designated zones. There were four different types of zones referenced throughout the redlining process: green, which meant “best;” blue, which represented “still desirable;” yellow, which stood for “definitely declining;” and red, which meant “hazardous.” To see what redlining looked like throughout California, check out this article with zoned maps of San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, and Los Angeles. People of color and low-income populations were relegated to purchasing homes and land in red and yellow zones, which were laden with sewage plants, polluting factories, contaminated water sources, and many more factors detrimental to environmental health. These neighborhoods, with an abundance of pollution and dangerous conditions, lacked the extensive green spaces and tree life of wealthier neighborhoods, a pattern that continues in historically redlined neighborhoods today.

Why is a limited number of trees in a neighborhood a problem? A study by Portland State University and Virginia Commonwealth University shows that historically redlined neighborhoods are hotter on average than neighborhoods listed as “desirable,” some by almost thirteen degrees, due to their lack of tree cover. Intense heat kills more Americans annually than any other natural event, and because redlined neighborhoods are disproportionately made up of people of color, this is an environmental justice issue, as well as a public health crisis.

Planting trees may seem like a simple solution to the issue of ecological inequity in urban environments, but gentrification goes hand in hand with creating more green space. By adding parks to an area with little to no green space, real estate prices within it rise, driving out the low-income residents and quickly gentrifying a neighborhood. How do we provide greenery for communities that need it, while not creating infrastructure that will ultimately drive them out of their homes? This balance will be a critical concept moving forward in urban ecology work. 

Luckily, urban greening is not limited to the creation of parks. One way people have incorporated plants into neighborhoods is through community gardens, like the P-Patch program in Seattle, Washington. People can sign up to receive a plot in a communal garden space when it becomes available, and are able to use that space to grow whatever they would like. Recently, community gardens have become a big part of the movement to bring ecological justice to cities and residents who lack access to green space or the land needed to establish a garden. At the same time, community gardens address food justice, as providing land for people to grow fruits and vegetables increases access to fresh and organic food that some residents might otherwise not be able to afford. 

It’s clear that the presence of trees throughout cities is a matter of equity and social justice, but working with existing infrastructures and systems of government can be a huge barrier to making change. Organizations such as the Baltimore Tree Trust are working to end tree inequity, planting trees throughout redlined neighborhoods and conversing with residents to learn their ecological needs and how the organization can most effectively address them. This grassroots work is critical to the success of urban greening efforts, as the people living in tree-scarce neighborhoods are the ones who can best speak to what those neighborhoods actually need. City officials must be involved as well, as they have the bureaucratic power to allow potential projects to move forward, but the voices of residents are equally important in the discussion and work. Our partner, Going Green Media, visited some of the greenest cities and greenest buildings to share solutions that are being developed around the world – and our partner, New Society Publishers, a leader in sustainable publishing, provides resources for urban architecture, urban landscaping, ecocities and promoting a sustainable future. 

Urban ecology must be a main focus of the environmental justice movement, and the environmentalist community as a whole needs to recognize its significance in creating a greener and more just future for cities and the world.