Addressing Equity by Strategically Planting Millions of Trees

As part of the Trillion Trees Initiative, cities across the country are pledging to plant trees and restore urban forests to fight climate change and cool off disadvantaged communities.

2 minute read

August 31, 2020, 8:00 AM PDT

By Clement Lau


Chicago Lake Michigan Trees

Joseph Sohm / Shutterstock

More trees are needed to improve air quality in communities that have been disproportionately affected by pollution and climate change. These communities are typically not only lacking in trees; many of them also face a variety of other challenges that adversely impact the health and well-being of residents.

Jad Daley, president and chief executive officer of American Forests, says, “It’s not just about more trees in cities. If you show me a map of tree cover in any city, you’re showing me a map of race and income levels. We see this as nothing less than a moral imperative.”

American Forests is part of the Trillion Trees Initiative, "a global push to encourage reforestation to capture carbon and slow the effects of global heating." Specifically, a coalition of U.S. cities, companies, and nonprofits has committed to planting and restoring 855 million of trees by 2030. The group recognizes that to truly address climate change, the initiative must be strategic and "reach traditionally disinvested neighborhoods and communities that need cooling, shade, and green space," writes Patrick Sisson

Adrian Benepe, vice president and director of national programs for the Trust for Public Land, says, “There isn’t a machine invented that can suck down carbon better than trees.” New research by the Natural Areas Conservancy, a New York-based group focused on preserving and protecting urban forests, highlights just how efficient trees can be at storing carbon.

"The roughly 6 million trees in the New York City’s 7,300 acres of natural forested areas represent a quarter of the city’s tree canopy, due to their density, but they account for 69 percent of the stored carbon and 83 percent of the sequestered carbon across the city," notes Sisson.

In addition to maintaining existing urban forests in parks, cities should also focus on ways to increase dense tree canopy coverage outside of parklands. In places like New York City, finding room for new, dense forests is increasingly challenging, but there are still some opportunities. For example, the city can use areas such as abandoned railways, utility corridors, and public right-of-ways. Cities should particularly be creative in finding locations and solutions for providing more trees in under-resourced communities.

Friday, August 28, 2020 in Bloomberg CityLab

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight