To care for a tree, is to invest in the health and future of a neighborhood. But all neighborhoods are not created equal.
Where are the trees? Some neighborhoods have few trees because the housing plots were smaller, front yards were filled in to provide off-street parking, and street trees were not planted or not replaced if they died. Lack of public funding and discrimination have played a large role in where this occurs.
These (and all) neighborhoods need more healthy trees—in street right-of-ways, parks, parking lots, schoolyards, routes to school, places of worship, businesses, backyards and front yards. Tree equity emphasizes the need to concentrate our planting and care efforts in regions that have been historically redlined, underfunded, or lack current funding for tree canopy development.
Read more about tree benefits and climate action to learn why trees bring health to our community.
Want support?
Kate’s Trees has resources for community groups—we will walk you through the questions to consider, including: How do I afford a tree? Where can I plant a tree? How can I get a tree? How do I grow a healthy tree? Inquire here
Kate’s Trees can help with promotion, education, and follow-up, starting with a key contact at your organization. We can work together to identify locations to plant and water trees.
Contact us for a learning session or short briefing. We also offer coaching for community members interested in being the primary contact person for their neighborhood.
If you are interested in working with Kate’s Trees, visit our Tree Ambassador page to learn how you can get involved.
Equity resources
- What is environmental justice – 3 min
- Difference between equality and equality – 2 min
- Tree equity score (US Tree Map), video, – 1 min. Note that the target tree canopy for San Diego would be 20% not 40% (in tree equity score).
- Global impacts of climate change on women, 3 min
- Social Equity Guide for Forests from Cities4Forests, link to website, 46-page PDF
Local resources
- Red-lining history in San Diego, KPBS article 2018 1936 map
- City of San Diego, Promise Zone economic development area link to webpage
- City of San Diego, Climate Equity Index