Ep. 247 Planting with Purpose: Tree Equity and Our Communities | #GoodGrowing

In this episode of the Good Growing Podcast, hosts Chris Enroth and Ken Johnson, joined by horticulture educator Emily Zweihart, explore the concept of tree equity during Arbor Month. They begin by reviewing the multifaceted benefits of trees—environmental, social, emotional, and economic—highlighting their role as infrastructure that provides stormwater management, carbon sequestration, cooling, and improved mental health. The conversation then shifts to the historical roots of tree inequity, tracing it back to redlining practices in the 1930s, which systematically denied investment and development in communities of color and low-income neighborhoods. This legacy continues today, with D-rated neighborhoods having only 23% canopy cover compared to nearly 50% in A-rated areas. To address this, the team introduces the Tree Equity Score tool from American Forests and iTree from the USDA Forest Service, both of which help communities identify where tree planting is most needed and quantify the benefits of existing trees. They emphasize that while these tools are powerful, they don’t assess tree health or quality, so ground-truthing is essential. The episode concludes with a call to action: planting trees now to begin closing the equity gap, with the reminder that the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago—and the second-best time is today.