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TREE EQUITY SCORE USE CASE
Build your case for greater investment in Tree Equity
Get the most out of Tree Equity Score
objectives
- Locate priority areas, that is, neighborhoods affected first and worst by climate and environmental hazards.
- Find impactful data to underline your cause.
- Build a strong case for investment, policy change and other actions.
How can I use the information?
Write an op-ed, drum up press coverage, create a petition, contact your local elected official, present to a local council, testify at a public hearing, build support for a tree ordinance, create outreach/educational materials and more.
Tree Equity Score data can be a powerful tool whether you're interacting with the media, elected officials or your neighbors. Tree Equity Score offers a national standard for identifying areas in need of investment, and robust information to build your case. By combining data with storytelling, you can convey the importance of Tree Equity issues and advocate for investment and policy changes in your community.
- Weave data into stories about people. For example, tell stories about a tree planting project, share experiences of residents, or highlight how a town government is prioritizing urban forestry. Use Tree Equity Score to support your story. By incorporating data, you can add credibility and evidence to your message.
- Keep it simple and focus on a few compelling data points that reinforce your story. Concise and impactful data can underline the importance of your cause.
- Use visual aids can make the information more accessible and engaging.
To begin, find your score in the Tree Equity Score National Explorer. Simply enter a location in the search bar or zoom and pan the map until you locate your area of interest. Many people start by exploring the map in the area where they live or work.
- To navigate to a location, simply type a location into the search bar such as an address, place name, town or state, and select an option that matches from the list. Or simply zoom and pan the map.
- Continue to navigate the map by zooming and dragging it to center your location of interest.
- Hover or click over shaded areas on the map to view scores for different locations.
- Each locality (for example, a town, city or village) is assigned a Composite Score. This score provides a simplified assessment of overall tree distribution fairness within a community.
- As you zoom in, localities will subdivide into Census block groups—each with a unique Tree Equity Score indicating the geographic pattern of tree canopy need within your community. Lower Tree Equity Scores indicate greater tree canopy need. Scores of 100 indicate areas with enough trees.
- To learn more details about an area within your locality, simply click on a block group to highlight it. Additional information about your highlighted block group will appear in the sidebar, including the measures of tree canopy, demographics, health, and environment that determine its Tree Equity Score.
- Tree Equity Score is calculated for every Census block group within urban areas of the U.S. The score is a measure ranging from 0 to 100 to highlight inequitable access to trees.
- A score of 100 (green) means a neighborhood (Census block group) already has enough trees.
- A lower score (orange) indicates a greater priority for tree planting, based on a combination of factors including tree canopy coverage and social, climate and health priorities.
- Tree Equity Score is calculated for every block group within U.S. urban areas.
- A Census block group, sometimes colloquially referred to as a "neighborhood," is a small geographic area used in the United States Census. A block group typically contains between 600 and 3,000 people, but the actual population can vary.
- Block groups provide a way of organizing and grouping people who live relatively close to one other and have relatively similar population characteristics for the purpose of collecting and analyzing demographic information.
Tree Equity Score simplifies the process of locating areas affected first and worst by climate and environmental hazards. Examine the map for the lowest scores. Then, explore additional information to locate areas most in need of trees.
Here's how to use the information in Tree Equity Score to locate priority areas:
- Priority level and rank: These measures can help you interpret your score.
- Priority level: Is a neighborhood classified as highest, high, moderate or low priority?
- Block group rank: How does your score rank against the scores in your locality? An area labeled as moderate priority could have the lowest score in its town or city. This makes it a high priority in that locality.
- Custom prioritization: As context for your score, consider measures like heat severity, poverty rates or health burden. Activate different map layers, then, use map filters to isolate patterns.
- Which block groups have above-average heat, for example? Activate the heat disparity layer, then slide the corresponding filter to exclude areas with below-average temperatures.
- Once you set a filter cutoff (e.g., heat disparity greater than +5 degrees), document that number to show why you prioritized select areas.
- Tree Equity Score provides a wealth of information beyond the score itself. Sometimes, other map layers can help you visualize local priorities and contexts. Consider all the data available to inform your decisions.
- Each locality is subdivided into Census block groups—each with a unique Tree Equity Score indicating the geographic pattern of tree canopy need within your community. Scores of 100 indicate areas with enough trees. The lower the Tree Equity Score, the greater tree canopy need and thus the greater the priority.
- Tree Equity Score priority levels are defined to provide a broad decision aid to help you interpret your Tree Equity Score. Priority levels are mapped directly from Tree Equity Scores: Highest (0-69), High (70-79), Moderate (80-89), Low (90-99), None (100). You may choose to adjust the prioritization in your community based on your unique range of Tree Equity Scores and other relevant local information.
- Within each locality, all block groups are ranked in order of their Tree Equity Scores. Block group ranks help you make comparisons only among block groups in the same community. The block group rank serves as an additional tool to easily identify areas of higher priority within a community.
- Every locality (e.g., a town, city or village) has a unique landscape of Tree Equity Scores. The block group rank helps you quickly identify areas in your community with the lowest rank and greatest priority.
- For each locality, all block groups are ranked in order of their Tree Equity Scores. Block groups ranked "1st" have the highest Tree Equity Scores (usually 100), meaning those locations have enough trees.
- The bigger the rank, the lower the Tree Equity Score. A block group ranked 270th out of 271 block groups, for example, can be considered among the highest priority within a locality based on Tree Equity Score.
Think of a map layers as a sheets of paper in a stack. Each layer represents different information, stacked one above the other. By toggling different layers on or off, you can choose what information, or "sheet," you want to see on the map. Map layers can help you gain a deeper understanding of the patterns and trends unique to your area.
- Click on “Layers,” then click on one of the layers in the list to change the layer view.
- Hover or click over the shaded areas on the map to view data for the selected layer in a pop-up.
- Exploring the map layers can help you gain insights into geographic patterns and the hidden story behind tree canopy distribution in your area. Toggle through layers for each specific variable to see how it relates to the tree canopy distribution.
A map filter is a tool that allows you to narrow down or prioritize the information displayed on the map based on specific criteria. Map filters help you focus on the geographic areas that are most relevant to your needs or interests.
- Click on “Filters” to open the filter menu.
- Adjust the sliders from either end or enter cutoff values. The filter will modify the map display accordingly, "filtering out" the areas that do not meet your criteria, and leaving only the areas that match visible on the map. You can set one or more filters.
- Filters will remain applied even if you close the filters menu change the map layers. Tap “Reset” to set the sliders back to their original positions.
- Map filters are a deceptively simple tool with a myriad of uses! Use filters to minimize the amount of information your brain has to process. Use filters to look for patterns and isolate areas of interest. Filters are a helpful tool to make informed decisions. Test prioritization criteria against your local knowledge of an area. You can also filter Tree Equity Score based on issues that are important locally, for example by setting the heat disparity filter to identify neighborhoods endangered by extreme heat.
On the map, click on each neighborhood to load more information in the side panel. Take note of the Tree Equity Score, community characteristics and tree canopy values. Each data point helps explain why and how scores differ:
- Tree canopy: Compare the current canopy cover (how much tree cover an area has) and canopy gap (how much more tree cover an area needs).
- Community measures: Understand the characteristics of communities impacted by low tree cover.
- Health burden index: The higher the value, the more residents reporting mental and physical health issues, asthma, and heart disease.
- Heat disparity: Show the variance from the average heat severity for the urban area.
For example:
Metric Neighborhood A Tree Equity Score 51 Tree canopy cover 2% People of color 72% People in poverty 17% Heat disparity +12 degrees *To summarize metrics for a group of neighborhoods, record information from the sidebar for each neighborhood, then take the average or the range of values for the group.
Make a comparison between a low-scoring neighborhood and a high-scoring neighborhood. How does the community character and tree canopy differ?
For example:
Metric Neighborhood A Neighborhood B Tree Equity Score 51 100 Tree canopy cover 2% 58% People of color 72% 28% People in poverty 17% 1% Heat disparity +12 degrees -4 degrees *To summarize metrics for a group of neighborhoods, record information from the sidebar for each neighborhood, then compare the average or the range of values for the group.
To effectively make your case, tell stories about people and weave in data as evidence. This will help your audience connect to your story and deliver your message impactfully.
Meet Juanita and her four children, who call Neighborhood A their home. Their community has a Tree Equity Score of 51, and a meager 2% tree cover. It's a striking contrast to the affluent Neighborhood B across town. With a score of 100 and 58% tree cover, lush trees line the sidewalks.The differences between these two neighborhoods go beyond tree cover. In Juanita's neighborhood, 72% of the residents are people of color, with 17% facing the challenges of poverty. The summers here can be brutal, with temperatures soaring 12 degrees above the area's average. In Neighborhood B, 72% of the residents are white, and only 1% endure poverty. Their summers are comparatively milder, with temperatures averaging 4 degrees cooler.These stark disparities in tree cover and living conditions highlight the urgent need to address Tree Equity. Juanita's neighborhood, with its lower Tree Equity Score and lack of green canopy, faces environmental injustices that affect the well-being and quality of life of its residents. As we tell Juanita's story, it's important to remember that these numbers are not just statistics but crucial indicators of the systemic challenges faced by communities like hers. It's time to take action and ensure equitable access to trees, clean air, shade and a healthy environment.
- The red status bar at the bottom of the sidebar represents the canopy cover goal for the highlighted block group. It shows the current canopy cover level as a measure of progress, with a gap indicating the amount of additional tree canopy needed to reach the goal.
- The canopy cover goal represents a minimum percentage of tree canopy required to deliver the requisite benefits of trees to a block group, adjusted based on natural biome and building density.
- Block groups with canopy cover that meets or surpasses their tree canopy goal are assigned a Tree Equity Score of 100.
- Tree canopy goals represent a minimum standard of tree cover for all neighborhoods that is considered appropriate to local urban ecologies and are not based on goals set by cities.
- Tree Equity Score is a combined measure of tree canopy need and an index comprised of seven priority indicators. The spider chart, also known as a radar chart, provides a visual breakdown of the indicators that influence the score for each block group.
- Axes: The spider chart consists of multiple axes radiating from a central point, like spokes on a wheel. Each axis represents a different priority indicator. Each axis is a scale that represents the range of each indicator value for the locality overall (all indicators are standardized for visual comparison).
- Data points: Priority indicator values for your highlighted block group are mapped as red points along each axis. The position of the dot reveals where the data points fall within the overall range of values within the locality. The further the point is from the center of the chart, the more that indicator contributes to lowering the Tree Equity Score for the block group.
- Shape: All data points are connected with lines, forming a shaded web shape within the spider chart. In general, the larger the shaded area, the lower the Tree Equity Score and higher the priority. Comparing the shape of the spider web across different block groups can help you relatively quickly assess the drivers of Tree Equity Score.
- Once you learn how to read it, the spider chart is a valuable tool to gain insights. Quickly assess patterns for different variables in your locality. Tease out the variables that have the most influence on Tree Equity Score for each priority block group.
What is the larger narrative of Tree Equity in your town, city, county, congressional district or state? Use Tree Equity Score to highlight systemic disparities in tree cover on a broader scale and demonstrate how your local cause relates to these broader patterns.
Click on a block group to generate a list of the reports for your area, then choose a report, for example your county report. From the top sections of the report, gather the summary information.
For example:
Metric Neighborhood A Smithfield
(Average; Range)York County
(Average; Range)Tree Equity Score 51 90; 51-100 51-100 Tree canopy cover 2% 14%; 2-68% 34%; 2-72% People of color 72% 66%; 28-92% 54%; 0-96% People in poverty 17% 21%; 0-65% 17%; 0-65% Health burden index 44 12-68 6-72 Total population 1,752 16,863 61,265 *Please note that summaries are for urban areas only, and rural areas are not included.
*Certain metrics are not available in the report. Return to the map to find ranges. Activate specific map layers and and view data points in hover popups. Or apply map filters to isolate the highest and lowest values in an area.
Juanita's neighborhood not only has the lowest Tree Equity Score in Smithfield, but the fewest trees in the county, with just 2% tree cover.
Maps can serve as evidence of regional patterns. Compare different thematic patterns side-by-side. How do the different patterns interconnect? As you toggle between different thematic map layers, you might need to zoom out on the map to observe broader geographic patterns.
Dynamic reports can help you communicate what it takes to raise Tree Equity Scores at a regional level. Dynamic reports are available at four administrative scales: Locality (e.g., a town, city or village), County, Congressional District and State. Each report provides valuable summary metrics, interactive visualizations to help you gain insights for your area of interest, and computational tools to help you assess scenarios and highlight the numerous benefits that can be gained by raising Tree Equity Scores within your community.
From the map
- Click on a shaded block group on the map. The "Dynamic Reports" menu will open in the upper right corner, showing all available reports for the highlighted block group.
- Choose a scale: Dynamic reports are available at up to four administrative scales from every block group: Locality (e.g., a town, city or village), County, Congressional District and State (always listed in that order).
- Click on a link to open a dynamic report.
Alternatively, you can search for reports anywhere in the United States. Click "Search all reports."
To search for dynamic reports by the name of a locality, county or state:
- Open the "Locality, county or state reports" tab.
- Start typing the name of a locality, county or state into the search bar.
- Select the best match from the list to open the dynamic report.
To search for congressional district reports:
- Open the "Congressional district reports" tab.
- Select your state from the dropdown menu.
- Optionally, select a city to narrow the results.
- Choose a district from the list to open the dynamic report.
If you don't know your district, return to the map. Use the search bar located in the upper left of the map to search for your address. Click on your block group. Now your district report will display in the "Reports" menu.
- When you open a dynamic report, the first section provides an overview of population characteristics to help you understand the demographic context of the urban areas in your selected geography.
- The summary is specific to the coverage of Tree Equity Score, which includes only the urban areas within each locality, county, congressional district and state, as defined by Census.
Think of a map layers as a sheets of paper in a stack. Each layer represents different information, stacked one above the other. By toggling different layers on or off, you can choose what information, or "sheet," you want to see on the map. Map layers can help you gain a deeper understanding of the patterns and trends unique to your area.
- Click on “Layers,” then click on one of the layers in the list to change the layer view.
- Hover or click over the shaded areas on the map to view data for the selected layer in a pop-up.
- Exploring the map layers can help you gain insights into geographic patterns and the hidden story behind tree canopy distribution in your area. Toggle through layers for each specific variable to see how it relates to the tree canopy distribution.
Maps are highly versatile and can be used to convey the need for Tree Equity and highlight the benefits to members of the community. They can be useful in a number of ways, including in grant applications, presentations to the town board, fliers for a tree planting event, conversations local stakeholders and community members.
Print a PDF of the map
- On the top-left corner of the map, click on camera button.
- This will capture a screenshot of the map, and prompt you to save a PDF on your computer.
Copy/save an image of the map
- Right click on the map, and select "Copy Image" (available on most browsers).
- Paste the image into your document or slide deck.
- Or select "Save Image As" and import the image into your document or slide deck.
Take a screenshot on your device
- On Windows, press Alt + PrtScn to capture the screen.
- For Mac, press Command-Shift-3 to capture the entire screen.
Visual aids can make your storytelling easier to understand and help connect with your audience.
Comparison photos: Create side-by-side photos of a neighborhood with abundant tree cover and one with inadequate tree cover. If you can't visit the neighborhoods, use Google Street View photos instead.
Before-and-after photos or artist renderings: Show before-and-after photos of greening projects or artist renderings to show how these projects can transform neighborhoods.
Maps: Create a series of maps to show how different thematic patterns interconnect. Maps can help shift the narrative away from isolated “problem” neighborhoods and highlight the systemic disparities in tree cover that exist at a large scale.
Maps are highly versatile and can be used to convey the need for Tree Equity and highlight the benefits to members of the community. They can be useful in a number of ways, including in grant applications, presentations to the town board, fliers for a tree planting event, conversations local stakeholders and community members.
Print a PDF of the map
- On the top-left corner of the map, click on camera button.
- This will capture a screenshot of the map, and prompt you to save a PDF on your computer.
Copy/save an image of the map
- Right click on the map, and select "Copy Image" (available on most browsers).
- Paste the image into your document or slide deck.
- Or select "Save Image As" and import the image into your document or slide deck.
Take a screenshot on your device
- On Windows, press Alt + PrtScn to capture the screen.
- For Mac, press Command-Shift-3 to capture the entire screen.
Go to our Methods & Data page for definitions and guidance to help you communicate the science that powers Tree Equity Score.
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