Journal article
Is Planting Equitable? An Examination of the Spatial Distribution of Nonprofit Urban Tree-Planting Programs by Canopy Cover, Income, Race, and Ethnicity
Environment and behavior, Vol.49(4), pp.452-482
05/2017
DOI: 10.1177/0013916516636423
Abstract
This article examines the spatial distribution of tree-planting projects undertaken by four urban greening nonprofit organizations in the Midwest and Eastern United States. We use a unique data set of tree-planting locations, land use data, and socioeconomic information to predict whether a census block group (n = 3,771) was the location of a tree-planting project between 2009 and 2011. Regression results show tree-planting projects were significantly less likely to have occurred in block groups with higher tree canopy cover, higher median income, or greater percentages of African American or Hispanic residents, controlling for physical and socioeconomic conditions. In addition, when canopy cover or income was low, plantings were even less likely to have occurred in neighborhoods with high percentages of racial or ethnic minorities. Findings suggest nonprofit plantings might reduce existing income-based inequity in canopy cover, but risk creating or exacerbating race-based inequity and risk leaving low canopy minority neighborhoods with relatively few program benefits.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Is Planting Equitable? An Examination of the Spatial Distribution of Nonprofit Urban Tree-Planting Programs by Canopy Cover, Income, Race, and Ethnicity
- Creators
- Shannon Lea Watkins - San Francisco State University, California, USASarah K Mincey - Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USAJess Vogt - DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois, USASean P Sweeney - Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Environment and behavior, Vol.49(4), pp.452-482
- DOI
- 10.1177/0013916516636423
- ISSN
- 0013-9165
- eISSN
- 1552-390X
- Grant note
- name: Northern Research Station, U.S. Forest Service; name: National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council, U.S. Forest Service
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 05/2017
- Academic Unit
- Community and Behavioral Health
- Record Identifier
- 9984214837402771
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