Urban Tree Cover is Tree-mendous

Have you ever heard of forest bathing? Originating in Japan under the name “shinrin-yoku,” the practice involves immersing yourself in the atmosphere of the forest and honing in on the rustle of pine needles, the sunbeams leaking through the canopy, or the sweet scent of sap oozing from tree trunks. It encourages mindfulness and promotes relaxation. Shinrin-yoku may even improve your physical health. But you don’t need to go forest bathing to realize the benefits of green space.

If you live in a city, you might be lucky enough to have access to a park or to tree-lined streets. These oases of green canopy dotting the concrete jungle may be the only contact with nature you have on a daily basis. Thankfully, any access to green space has benefits. Data shows that even in small numbers, the presence of trees in urban centers boasts incredible benefits, from more successful business districts to energy savings and even better sleep. More importantly, access to trees may support longer, healthier lives.

In other words, if you’re looking for the fountain of youth or the elixir of life, finding the closest tree might be the best thing you can do. Let’s look at why trees matter so much to our wellbeing, who has access to green space, and what we can do to expand our urban tree cover.

Long Live the Trees (and Me!)

Studies show that tree cover in cities may boost longevity. In particular, a 2022 study found that increasing urban tree cover by 10% led to significant decreases in heat-related mortality, with Phoenix in particular benefiting from an estimated 22% reduction in heat-related mortality. Trees improve air quality, provide shade and aesthetic value, and even encourage increased physical activity. They also mitigate pollutant- and heat-induced stress, directly impacting the physical and mental well-being of humans living nearby.

There is also evidence that spending time around trees reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, and can improve mood. Other studies have shown that simply viewing nature, such as trees from a hospital window, can speed up recovery time. And we know that trees release volatile essential oils known as phytoncides, which boost human immune systems by increasing natural killer cell activity. In other words, proximity to green space helps us live longer, healthier lives by reducing mortality rates. 

Our Grand Green Guards

Urban tree cover has a lot to offer, from stormwater management to removing street-level air pollution and boosting business in shopping districts. Proximity to canopies in cities may even increase worker productivity and decrease absenteeism.

Urban centers trap heat at a higher rate than surrounding rural landscapes. And since 80% of Americans live in urban areas, that means a lot of people are at risk during extreme heat. Thankfully, tree cover in cities offers a simple and highly effective solution. Urban trees are widely accepted as one of the most effective ways to alleviate heat islands, lowering ambient temperatures as much as 20-45 degrees Fahrenheit.

Compared with other terrestrial surfaces, areas with vegetation such as trees are more successful at capturing gases and aerosols from the atmosphere. For cities dealing with smog or other forms of heavy air pollution, trees and shrubs serve as effective pollutant-containing sinks. 

Take Detroit as an example. In honor of Earth Day 2025, the nonprofits Archangel Ancient Tree Archive and Arboretum Detroit collaborated to plant giant Sequoia saplings in empty plots on Detroit’s East Side. With 100 more saplings planted that April, volunteers expanded the humble 20 tree forest first planted in 2020 and 2021. The project aimed not only to improve local air quality but to preserve these native Californian trees from threatening wildfires on the West Coast. 

Freetown, Sierra Leone is also undergoing reforestation efforts. To tackle a declining canopy as the city sprawls into surrounding mountains and forests, the Freetown City Council launched #FreetowntheTreetown. The initiative encourages local citizens to track trees they plant and monitor young saplings through the TreeTracker app and receive micropayments for their work. After achieving their first goal of 1 million trees planted, Freetown has set their sights on planting 5 million trees by 2030. So far, the project has created 5,000 community jobs, 17 new watersheds, and restored 1,200 hectares of urban land.

Equal Access Now!

Unfortunately, access to tree canopy in U.S. cities is unequal. In 2021, majority-Black and Brown neighborhoods enjoyed 33% less tree cover than majority-white neighborhoods, meaning fewer trees in neighborhood plots, lining the sidewalks, or in nearby parks and green spaces. On top of racial disparities, neighborhoods with high poverty rates had 41% less tree cover than wealthier neighborhoods.

Disparities in access have to do with historic patterns of redlining, or the systematic denial of mortgages, loans, and other financial services on the basis of racial or ethnic grounds. These systems remain rooted in place today and influence neighborhood access to clean water and air, grocery stores options, and even green space!

Unequal access to urban green space means not everyone gets to enjoy the benefits of living near trees. One national survey found that, on average, poorer and non-white neighborhoods averaged 15.2% less tree cover and had on average 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) hotter summer surface temperatures. The analysis of survey data showed that, because they had less tree cover, majority non-white neighborhoods had a higher risk for heat-related health problems and higher electrical power consumption. 

American Forests offers a tree equity tool to map coverage across cities and attests to these inequities. Considering disinvested communities undeniably face more day-to-day stress as a result of socioeconomic and/or racial status, one solution to improving well-being may be planting more trees in disenfranchised neighborhoods. One study estimated that adding an ambitious 1.2 billion trees across 100 sample cities nationwide would reduce summer surface temperatures by as much as 1.8 degrees Celsius (3.24 degrees Fahrenheit) and prevent around 450 heat-related deaths each year.

The Canopy Tree Project

Lucky for you, it’s easy to get involved in reforestation efforts, even in cities! EARTHDAY.ORG’s campaign Canopy Tree Project restores and reforests vulnerable climate areas around the world. The campaign’s goals include planting 60 million trees by 2030 and one billion by 2060. Donate to the campaign and help us plant trees where they’re needed most.

Craving more fascinating stories about trees? Browse through our Canopy Tree Project articles.

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