The benefits of shade from trees: A cooling respite
Imagine any of your outdoor summer experiences: walking or running in your neighborhood, taking young children to a playground, working or volunteering in outdoor spaces, to name a few. These activities, when done in direct sunlight and without the benefits of shade that trees provide, will only become more difficult as climate change continues to bring hotter temperatures.
Let’s face it: Dealing with extreme heat is the new normal for summertime. Extreme heat is the deadliest climate threat in the United States. Every year, it claims more lives than any other weather-related disaster — an estimated 12,000 premature deaths. And it hits hardest children and seniors, as well as people with health sensitivities, limited coping resources or high exposure to heat. Whether it’s during work or play, you need shelter when it gets too hot. And trees give us just that.
Photo Credit: City of Austin Transportation Department
You’ve probably experienced the benefits of shade and the cooling respite trees provide from the heat. But not everyone has access to ample shade, especially during the hottest hours of the day. And that lack of shade can be the difference between safe and dangerous outdoor conditions.
Shade is essential. Trees make it possible.
Trees don’t just beautify neighborhoods — they cool them.
This is why it is so important that everyone has access to the cooling benefits of shade provided by trees.
American Forests’ Tree Equity Score tool maps tree canopy cover for neighborhoods across the country, assigning a score of 0 to 100 to depict areas with the greatest need for increased canopy. The newest addition to the tool, its shade mapping feature, created in partnership with the University of California, Los Angeles Luskin Center for Innovation, brings everyone the data to see where shade is — and where it isn’t — in their neighborhood. This gives every individual, community and city the power to:
- Identify shade deserts
- Make the case for investing in tree planting and shade infrastructure
- Build climate resilience where it’s needed most
The implications of increasing shade are huge: lower utility bills, cooler commutes, safer walks for children going to school, safer conditions for outdoor workers, greener public spaces, mental health benefits, data-informed policies that make cities more resilient, and ultimately, more communities prepared for the growing challenges of extreme heat.
Shade in action
We’ve seen the benefits of shade put into action in three different ways, in three different cities:
Photo Credit: City of Austin Transportation Department
Austin, Texas saw 80 days over 100 degrees Fahrenheit in 2023. The City of Austin’s Safe Routes to School Program helps kids walk, bike and roll to school safely. Local organizations, nonprofits and city leaders are using Tree Equity Score to plant more trees in the right places, keeping children cooler during the hottest months of the year.
In Detroit, commuting to work can be dangerous. Of the 5,098 bus stops in Detroit, nearly 90% have poor shade during peak heat hours, leaving Detroit’s 85,000 daily transit riders exposed. Increasing tree canopy along these routes makes public transit and all road traffic safer.
Photo Credit: Joel Clark / American Forests
Photo Credit: Rick D'Elia / D'Elia Photographic
In Phoenix, heat-related deaths in the county have surged 900% since 2014. The population continues to grow, as do the threats of extreme heat. Phoenix committed over $60 million to shade investments through their ground-breaking 2024 Shade Phoenix Plan, which represents the city’s commitment to increasing its urban tree canopy and promoting the use of innovative shade structures, especially in the areas of the city that need it most.
Increasing access to trees is critical to our vision for everyone to experience the cooling, life-saving benefits of shade — and we’re working with local and regional organizations, nonprofits, corporate partners, advocates and city leaders to bring the benefits of shade and tree canopy to every neighborhood and every resident.
