A tree planting framework to improve climate and health with non-traditional partners

What is it about?

Planting trees is considered an effective method for climate change adaptation and mitigation. This framework provides a replicable blueprint to improve health, urban heat, flooding, and air pollution via a multisectoral, collaborative, environmental data-driven approach. Native tree species with targeted ecosystem services are selected, and sites are strategically identified based on environmental and health benefits, with the intent of engaging community involvement through education and large-scale tree plantings. Including non-traditional partners in the framework provides heightened awareness of the relationship between climate change and health, thus catalyzing decision-making regarding sustainable actions that reduce effects of climate change. This native tree planting framework is highly adaptable in other cities.

Featured Image

Photo by Yura Batiushyn on Unsplash

Photo by Yura Batiushyn on Unsplash

Why is it important?

A multidisciplinary framework is presented for a data-driven, climate change adaptation and air pollution mitigation project. This framework leverages heightened awareness of the connections between climate change, air pollution, and health to expand the cadre and societal impacts of those working to intervene in resilience planning and implementation.

Perspectives

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The framework, implemented in Houston, Texas, USA, beginning in 2019, consists of three parts: (1) identification of optimal native tree species for climate change adaptations and air pollution mitigation around variables important locally; (2) selection of large-scale native tree planting locations where populations are already disproportionately experiencing flooding, increased heat, and air pollution-related health effects that could be further exacerbated from climate change; and (3) engagement of multisectoral leadership broadened beyond those traditionally working on climate change resilience through heightening awareness of the link to human health.

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