Why we need trees in Minnesota cities

If this heat wave had you ducking from the sun, you may have a new appreciation for how shady your neighborhood is — or isn’t.   

A leafy tree canopy can keep temperatures cooler by nearly 10 degrees compared to nearby paved areas. And trees have other benefits, too: keeping the air cleaner, raising property values and even reducing crime. 

But not all neighborhoods are equal when it comes to trees. A new report from the nonprofit American Forests finds that neighborhoods with more low-income households and people of color tend to have fewer trees. 

Achieving tree equity has become more important in the context of climate change, and it’s become a bigger challenge as cities cut down thousands of ash trees sickened by the emerald ash borer. 

Host Angela Davis talks to a professor of urban forestry and a community tree advocate about why we should pay more attention to our trees and how to get them into areas that need them most. 

Guests:

• Eric North is an assistant professor of urban and community forestry in the Department of Forest Resources at the University of Minnesota. 

• Karen Zumach is director of community forestry at Tree Trust, a Twin Cities nonprofit that works to grow the urban forest and jobs in natural resources. She also serves as the president of the Minnesota Shade Tree Advisory Committee.  

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