EVERETT — Since last week, Snohomish County and large parts of western Washington have been under a heat advisory, but depending on if where you live is surrounded by trees, that heat may have felt very different.
A new online map created by the Washington Department of Natural Resources and conservation nonprofit American Forests illustrates tree canopy statistics across the state, highlighting how socioeconomic disparities can play a role in shade cover and temperature hot spots.
Trees provide air and water filtration and shade sidewalks and houses, lowering utility costs and decreasing risks of heat-related illnesses, but some neighborhoods and population groups have historically missed out on these benefits due to systemic discrimination.
The map breaks neighborhoods down by cen