Rooting for Change: CityTrees and the Tree Equity Score Revolutionize Redwood City
In the bustling heart of Redwood City, nestled among the tall buildings and concrete streets, a small but dedicated team at CityTrees was on a mission to bring shade, beauty, and equity to their community. They were gearing up for their 2023-2024 planting season, and the excitement in the air was palpable. But this year was different. The spark of inspiration had been ignited by a podcast episode that had recently captured the hearts and minds of the city’s residents.
The podcast, “After the Weather” with Spencer Christian, was a source of thought-provoking discussions on climate change and environmental justice. In a recent episode, Spencer Christian had a riveting conversation with Jad Daley, the President and CEO of American Forests. The episode focused on a pressing issue that hit close to home for Redwood City and cities across the country: “urban heat islands.”
Urban heat islands are areas within cities where temperatures soar to dangerous levels, creating oven-like conditions for the people living there. These areas are often dominated by vast expanses of pavement and are sorely lacking in trees, parks, and other natural cooling features. The consequences of these heat islands are dire, with disproportionately adverse effects on vulnerable communities.
Daley was a passionate advocate for combating urban heat islands and had developed a groundbreaking solution known as the Tree Equity Score. This innovative tool helped cities prioritize where trees needed to be planted and ensured that these plantings were equitable, focusing on areas where the need was greatest.
Redwood City had been struggling with its own urban heat island problem, and CityTrees saw Daley’s Tree Equity Score as a game-changer. It was a way to make their mission of equitable tree planting a reality. The team at CityTrees had been avid listeners of Spencer Christian’s podcast, and they were deeply inspired by the conversation between Christian and Daley.
CityTrees leverages the Tree Equity Score in our tree planting strategy to help determine where to focus for the 2023-2024 planting season. To see Redwood City’s tree equity score, click here.
Be sure to join us this fall and winter and be a part of the transformative journey toward a cooler, greener, and more equitable future for their city. Check out upcoming plantings today!