Considered the most polluted zip code in the country, Globeville and Elyria-Swansea, lacking many of the protections and amenities (including trees) found in other Denver neighborhoods, are inundated by heavy industry and constant traffic. A growing awareness of environmental injustice in urban forests has led some to reflect on their personal responsibility and obligation to seek remedies. In this panel discussion, North Denver residents and community organizers will share the causes of environmental burdens in their neighborhood and offer lessons for anyone hoping to support similar places. They will also outline some of the ways trees and green spaces can contribute to broader improvements.

Can urban greening projects address historical injustices, respond to community aspirations, and draw on traditional ecological knowledge? The recent convergence of climate change, racial reckoning, and economic inequities have awakened many to a new era in which urban forests are seen as a central solution. In this presentation, Dr. Shandas will provide a means for and examples of addressing the pitfalls of both communities without trees and trees without communities.

Can trees and green spaces improve air quality in communities? In this talk, Dr. deSouza will synthesize existing research on the complex relationship between green space and air pollution. She will draw on two mobile monitoring campaigns, one in New York City and the other in Denver, that tested existing hypotheses on the relationship between green space and different air pollutants.

The spatial pattern of tree canopy and urban heat is not equitably distributed across cities, where often lower income neighborhoods have higher temperatures and less trees. While these issues of hazardous climate exposure are important citywide, they also important at the scale of human engagement with the environment, i.e. where people are most exposed to extreme temperatures. Knowing that exposure to hazardous environments is inequitable in cities, we examined how to quantify hazardous microclimates at the scale of the individual, where individuals are forced to be exposed to urban climates, at commuting bus stop locations. By working with community partners in Denver CO, we placed sensors across 60 bus stops, measuring the thermal environment and it's relationship to local land cover. We have been able to identify what commuting locations are not only the most exposed to extreme heat, but where there are the biggest inequities in the ability to mitigate that heat through tree canopy.

Last year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service awarded more than $1 billion in competitive grants to plant and maintain trees, combat extreme heat and climate change, and improve access to nature in cities, towns, and suburbs across the U.S. What improvements can Colorado residents expect to see from local investments? Across the state, eight communities have initially received over $22 million for their proposed work to expand and improve tree canopy, and additional funding has been set aside to support similar work in other communities. In this panel discussion, you will hear directly from grant recipients about their exciting plans, priorities, and vision for local transformation.