Every April, the world celebrates Earth Month. For some who may not consider themselves environmentalists, the commemoration might sneak by with very little fanfare or attention. However, whether you live in a small rural community or densely populated city, both nature and the environment impact us all.
For example, did you know that the presence — or absence — of trees can have significant impact on the health and wellbeing of a community?
The urban tree gap
Trees cool neighborhoods by shading pavement and releasing moisture through transpiration, filter air pollutants including nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter, reduce stormwater runoff, and have been linked to lower rates of stress, depression, cardiovascular disease, and asthma. In short, trees are a public health tool. But access to that tool is deeply unequal.
A landmark study published in Public Library of Science One reports that in 92% of U.S. urbanized areas, low-income blocks have less tree cover than high-income blocks. On average, there is 15.2% less tree cover in lower income areas, and the temperatures are 1.5° C hotter.
On a local note, Kansas City’s history of redlining is depicted in the trees — or the lack of them. Kansas City’s 2018 Urban Forest Master Plan established that the city has an overall tree canopy of 31%, roughly half of what the available land could support. Data suggests that this is a common problem found in cities across the United States that are predominately occupied by people of color.
Trees as a social determinant of health
Social determinants of health are the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age. The World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention both recognize that these non-medical factors (neighborhood environment, economic stability, access to green space, and structural racism) shape health outcomes more profoundly than clinical care alone.
Access to trees and green space is increasingly recognized as a social determinant of health. Neighborhoods without adequate tree canopy face compounding yet preventable health risks:
- Heat exposure. Lack of tree canopy drives urban heat islands, elevating the risk of heat-related illness, heat stroke, and cardiovascular events, which disproportionately affecting elderly residents, children, and outdoor workers.
- Air quality. Trees help filter the air. Communities without trees experience higher rates of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cardiovascular disease.
- Mental health. Green space exposure reduces cortisol and stress hormone levels, improves mood, and supports cognitive function. Where trees are absent, mental health outcomes decline.
These health outcomes are concentrated in the same neighborhoods that were redlined, disinvested, and left without trees. The lack of tree canopy in historically redlined, predominantly minority neighborhoods is not accidental or inevitable. It reflects the cumulative impact of deliberate policy decisions that withheld investment, infrastructure, and environmental amenities from entire communities.
Learn how Swope Health provides services to impacted communities to assist in addressing the root causes of poor health outcomes by visiting swopehealth.org.
