by Livia Costa
As we established in our last blog, trees are an indispensable resource in our cities. They make our neighborhoods more liveable by cleaning and filtering our air and their shade provides relief during hot summer months. This is clearly shown by the fact that temperature and pollution rates vary across a city; neighborhoods with more trees have lower temperatures and pollution rates. However, in Boston and many other cities around the U.S., these differences among neighborhoods also point to a direct correlation between tree cover and racial and economic discrimination.
Between the 1930s and the 1970s, Boston’s landscape was divided into parcels of land based on racial and economic status , a discriminatory practice known as “redlining.” In the granting of homebuyer loans, these parcels were assigned a letter grade, with “A” grades indicating the area was characterized by U.S.-born white populations in newer houses. This signified that there was considerable potential for investment, and therefore, profit. Areas with “D” ratings were marked in red, signifying that investments and economic growth should be limited because of racial and economic makeup. These practices were used to exclude marginalized communities from more favorable mortgages and investments in infrastructure developments. Today, these color-coded maps line up very closely with the lack of tree canopy in Boston, creating natural “green lines” which still shape our city and define who has access to a healthy tree canopy and “red lines” that are surrounded by concrete.
This satellite image says it all. Despite being right next to one another, Jamaica Plain enjoys significantly more green areas than its neighbor, Dorchester. Image: Google Maps
Let’s look at Jamaica Plain, a neighborhood that was previously given an “A” rating and currently some parts of the neighborhood enjoy an 80% tree cover of lush greenery and cooling shade. The neighborhood as a whole has a 43% canopy coverage. Here, the median household income is $107,361 with only 10.8% of residents being from a minority community. Dorchester, on the other hand, encompasses areas with previous “C” or “D” ratings and is currently home to an almost 80% minority population. Here, the median household income is $35,885 and consists of just 22% tree coverage. This isn’t a coincidence, but rather a result of decades of racist and discriminatory practices by decision-makers in our city. Knowing this, it’s no surprise that the residents of Dorchester experience poorer air quality and hotter summers, once again placing marginalized groups at the forefront of climate change consequences.
Edward P. Fulton Square in Jamaica Plain, MA. Source: Trulia
Dorchester Avenue in Dorchester, MA. Source: John Phelan
Additionally, these ratings also influenced the designation of land use in an area and resulted in many minority and low-income neighborhoods being zoned as ideal for industrial infrastructure. This happened in Chelsea, particularly along the Chelsea Creek, where, due to redlining, it was designated as an industrial use area. Today, it is lined with oil terminals and road salt storage facilities, as well as the New England Produce Distribution Center, which is the largest produce distribution center in the region and contributes to a lot of truck congestion in the area. All of these factors increase the risk of pollution for residents, 67.7% of whom are Hispanic or Latino. This industrial infrastructure makes the creek less likely to be suitable for greenspace. This perpetuates the issue since, with less green space, there is a lower viability that trees can offset pollution.
This trend occurs in cities throughout the country, demonstrating that rich and white residents enjoy more greenery and the health benefits that come with it, compared to lower-income residents and those of color. This keeps marginalized neighborhoods in a perpetual loop of underdevelopment, leaving residents to suffer the social and environmental consequences.
Despite this, a history of segregation does not define the future of aid efforts. Speak for the Trees, an organization dedicated to increasing Boston’s urban forest, demonstrates this through their commitment to tree equity. "Trees improve residents' lives by cleaning the air, providing shade and respite, reducing stress, and absorbing stormwater," says David Meshoulam, Executive Director. "Yet, depending on where you live in Boston, you receive different levels of these benefits. Tree equity is our effort to improve residents' economic, social, and environmental condition by improving their canopy coverage." SFTT’s work ranges from advocating to protect trees that are already planted, to hosting tree giveaways and plantings, and more. They even have the Teen Urban Tree Corps to build the next generation of environmental advocates and tree stewards. Speak for the Trees designs maps that show “green lines,” mapping factors in Boston such as tree canopy coverage, temperature, air pollution, racial and ethnic minorities, income, language isolation, etc. You can explore their interactive tool that shows how these factors relate to one another. Their work demonstrates a commitment to equity, specifically in their focus on highlighting community voices.
When developing projects, Speak for the Trees believes it’s crucial to co-create at the community level, arguing that true change “happens when residents have ownership over their spaces and are empowered to take action.” For communities that have historically been left out of decision-making conversations, this perspective is crucial to the future of our urban forests and communities as a whole. By allowing those truly impacted by these consequences to have a say in the change for the future, we can blur the harsh lines created by redlining and create space for a city where everyone, regardless of their zip code, has access to a clean and healthy environment.
As Danez Smith writes on Atmos.earth, "I’m thinking about the formerly redlined neighborhoods all over the U.S. that are often treeless, locked out of green, hotter and more vulnerable to climate change than the other side of town they were othered from. Who does this country believe deserves beauty? Who is allowed nature?" Tree equity should be for everyone and the change that will make that happen is needed now. To learn more about Speak for the Trees or get involved in their mission, visit https://treeboston.org/ and check out their interactive maps, volunteer opportunities, or even adopt a tree.