Trees for Climate and Health

We all need and want green space where we live and work, walk and play. Increasingly, research shows the benefits of trees for our health but research also shows that some neighborhoods have less access to green space and fewer trees in their neighborhoods. These neighborhoods can be identified on maps or by walking along treeless streets, often adjacent to (or divided by) highways or industrial areas. And they share other demographic similarities: low income, high number of renters, higher rates of respiratory problems and other chronic diseases, and exposure to heat extremes. These are costly, not only to the individuals who live under these conditions, but also to the community as a whole.

More great info:

health trees — Click on the image enlarge it.

WHAT IS HAPPENING IN RHODE ISLAND:

TREE EQUITY SCORE

American Forest’s Tree Equity Score Analyzer for Rhode Island (TESA) provides a score (on a scale of 0-100) for entire municipalities, all the way down to local neighborhoods. Scores are based on how tree canopy cover and surface temperature align with income, employment race age and health factors. This information can help prioritize areas for planting, justify choices, and show quantifiable change, which can be used to communicate the benefits of trees and planting to community residents, policy-makers, and funders. (You must set up an account to access the RI specific data.) The UCF Program requires TESA be used when applying for tree-planting grants, as it provides justification and future impact of tree planting efforts.

HEAT WATCH & URBAN HEAT ISLANDS

In 2020, DEM Division of Forest Environment partnered with the RI Department of Health to carry out a Capa Strategies Heat Watch campaign, monitoring temperatures through the course of the day in Providence, East Providence, Pawtucket and Central Falls. Like this evening heat index:

We have used the data to explore some of the sources and impacts of extreme heat in Rhode Island:

Check out our interactive story map: Explore the Rhode Island Tree Canopy and Benefits
Climate Change, Urban Heat Islands and Tree Canopy in Rhode Island
Advanced GIS & Spatial Analysis 2021 Final Project by Caroline Hoffman*: Inside the Urban Melting Pot: Exploring the Effects of Redlining and Greenspace on Heat Distribution in Providence, Rhode Island *Ms. Hoffman also developed the maps used here and created the story map
Explore the changes in temperatures and heat indices throughout the day; collected at: 6-7 am, 3-4 pm, 7-8 pm and 12 pm-1 am

URBAN HEAT ISLANDS

"Heat Island" refers to the fact that cities tend to get much warmer than their surrounding rural landscapes, particularly during the summer. This temperature difference occurs when cities’ unshaded roads and buildings heat up during the day and radiate that heat into the surrounding air. This stored heat continues to be released through the night maintaining higher temperatures throughout the entire day, compared to areas where there is more green space and fewer roads and buildings.

EPA: Heat Island Effect
Climate Central: Urban Heat Islands
Heat.gov: Urban Heat Islands

HEALTH EQUITY ZONES

The RI Department of Health (RIDOH) has identified nine Health Equity Zones (HEZ) as a way to prioritize and address the inequities that affect multiple communities across the state. Rhode Island is the first in the nation to adopt this approach of sustainable investments with flexible funding at the statewide level.

HEZs are specific areas throughout the state where collaboratives of community stakeholders, organizations, and residents have formed to address issues that are most important to them. Through a collective, community-led process, each HEZ:

Conducts a needs assessment,
Identifies priorities, and
Implements a data-driven action plan to address barriers to health.

Since 2015, Rhode Island’s HEZ initiative has supported community leaders and residents to form Health Equity Zone collaboratives in communities across Rhode Island. RIDOH provides funding and support to ensure communities follow best practices for improving public health. This innovative model has been highlighted nationally to foster community leadership and advance equity.

RESOURCES:

Climate change is an issue that can seem overwhelming. And the effects of climate change on the environment, human health, and quality of life are complex and intertwined. Below are resources and information that address climate change on the local, state and national level: