Launched by UCLA and American Forests to combat heat-related deaths, the tool maps the shade infrastructure for over 360 U.S. cities.
A new tool from the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation and American Forests maps shade in 101 of the nation’s largest urbanized areas, visualizing how shade provided by trees and buildings shifts throughout the day.
The tool is designed to help policymakers understand gaps in their city’s tree canopy and which areas are in the biggest need of additional resources. “The map reveals widespread “shade deserts” — areas lacking adequate shade infrastructure — throughout virtually all major urban regions in the U.S.”
“By showing shade at noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. — including parcel-level data in select cities — the Shade Map allows civic leaders to identify where investments in natural and engineered shade are most needed.” For example, the map reveals that trees are a “particularly powerful” shade solution because they provide 25 times more shade at noon than buildings do.
Read the full story: National shade map from UCLA and American Forests launched to combat deadly urban heat
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