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.
FULL STORY: National shade map from UCLA and American Forests launched to combat deadly urban heat
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A new USC study finds that relaxing Los Angeles’ outdated tree planting guidelines could significantly expand urban tree canopy and reduce shade disparities in lower-income neighborhoods, though infrastructure investments are also needed.
Phoenix Shade Plan Focuses on Bus Stops
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Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
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Engineers Gave America's Roads an Almost Failing Grade — Why Aren't We Fixing Them?
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The European Cities That Love E-Scooters — And Those That Don’t
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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
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