What role do trees play in mitigating urban heat islands and promoting health?

American Forests – Why is one neighborhood hotter than another? Chances are it is because it has fewer trees. Trees help cool neighborhoods down and reduce what’s called the “urban heat island effect,” the creation of “islands” of heat that result in a dangerous rise in temperature.

Trees also benefit urban areas by making it easier for us to breathe, acting as air filters, absorbing pollutant gases and filtering particulates from the air by trapping them on bark and leaves. Trees help filter the air not only to benefit people but also the earth’s ecosystems as a whole.