The tool helps evaluate and prioritize areas with the greatest need for tree cover in order to achieve tree equity statewide
American Forests and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources continued their years-long partnership on Tuesday by launching the Washington State Tree Equity Score Analyzer.
The state-specific tool available to the public uses a wealth of data to analyze the extent and impacts of urban tree cover across Washington. By using tree canopy data in conjunction with demographic, land use, and socio-economic factors, the Washington State Tree Equity Score Analyzer will help guide landowners, public agencies, and nonprofits as they work to maintain and enhance urban and community forests throughout the Evergreen State.
American Forests, the oldest national conservation nonprofit in the United States, and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) signed a memorandum of understanding in 2023 that included creation of a tree equity tool for Washington State that works in tandem with the American Forests Tree Equity Score map of 2,600 urban areas nationwide.
Thanks to the partnership and leveraging of shared resources by DNR and American Forests, this interactive dataset is now available not just to the larger, urban parts of Washington, but smaller communities such as Anacortes, Othello, and Prosser.
"Knowing where our cities have urban tree canopies and green spaces allows us to work toward advancing tree equity and environmental justice in all Washington communities. This score analyzer is a great tool for people to see how much work there is to do in their neighborhoods," said Commissioner of Public Lands Dave Upthegrove. "DNR's partnership with American Forests began after the devastating heat dome in June 2021, which pushed temperatures well above 110 degrees in some of the most urbanized, least shaded parts of our state. I look forward to continuing the agency's work with American Forests and all our partners in pursuit of healthy urban forests from Seattle to Spokane."
The initial agreement also included the creation of the Washington State Tree Equity Collaborative, the first-of-its-kind statewide coalition. More than 70 Washington municipalities, public agencies, Tribes, and non-governmental organizations are working together on tree equity so that everyone can experience the wide array of benefits provided by a robust and healthy urban tree canopy.
The collaborative hosts multiple learning lab events each year in different parts of Washington to update members on efforts to address the challenges and barriers to tree equity and to connect urban foresters to resources for technical assistance and opportunities to learn from real-world examples of successful projects.
"The Washington State Tree Equity Score Analyzer empowers communities and local leaders to make the case for tree equity through accessible data and planning tools to prioritize investment in areas that need trees the most," said Drue Epping, Director of Pacific Northwest and West Coast Urban Forestry at American Forests. "Through the Washington State Tree Equity Collaborative, we're excited to use this tool alongside our partners to help build more rigorous and inclusive urban forestry programs across the state and ensure all communities in Washington can access the essential benefits of trees."
According to the analyzer, Washington neighborhoods have on average 33% tree canopy cover – the total area covered by tree canopy divided by the total land area of that location. Neighborhoods at least five degrees hotter than the urban average have just 14% tree canopy cover – less than half of the statewide urban average.
The tool illustrates how existing Washington urban tree canopy provides annual ecosystem services worth more than $570 million; achieving tree equity can unlock an additional $200 million in benefits each year for Washington residents.
Anyone can use the Washington-specific tool to run different scenarios to project how planting certain numbers of trees within a census block or even on a single parcel would impact that location's tree equity score.
Over the past five years, American Forests has led and mobilized a nationwide tree equity movement. The nonprofit aims to help at least 100 cities make meaningful progress on tree equity by 2030 through best-in-class tools, resources, and equitable grantmaking.
To learn more and to use the Washington State Tree Equity Score Analyzer, visit https://www.treeequityscore.org/analyzer/washington
ABOUT AMERICAN FORESTS: American Forests is the first national nonprofit conservation organization created in the United States. Since its founding in 1875, the organization has been the pathfinder for the forest conservation movement. Its mission is to create healthy and resilient forests, from cities to large natural landscapes, that deliver essential benefits for climate, people, water, and wildlife. The organization advances its mission through forestry, innovation, place-based partnerships to plant and restore forests, and movement building. For more information, visit www.americanforests.org
ABOUT THE WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES: The Washington State Urban and Community Forestry Program works to educate citizens and decision makers about the economic, environmental, psychological, and aesthetic benefits of trees and to assist local governments, citizen groups and volunteers in planting and sustaining healthy trees and vegetation wherever people live, work, and play in Washington State.
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American Forests Communications
