Collect Baseline Data

You understand that trees are essential to public health and well-being and you’re ready to chart a course of action that leads to greener, safer and more resilient neighborhoods. So where do you start? Begin by establishing a strong data foundation. In this toolkit, you’ll use Tree Equity Score to gather data about trees in your community, identify areas with the greatest need and set priorities for the future. At every step, you’ll gather robust data that can help you make the case for investment, policy change and strategic action in pursuit of Tree Equity.

Download Full Toolkit

Browse Activities

Basic Data Gathering

Suggested Time: 2–3 days

Level of Difficulty: Low

Partcipants: Anyone can do it!

Learn More

Priority Area Mapping

Suggested Time: 1–2 days

Level of Difficulty: Moderate

Partcipants: Individuals responsible for project planning, advocacy or communications

Learn More

In-Person Observation

Suggested Time: 1–2 weeks

Level of Difficulty: Low

Partcipants: Individuals responsible for project planning, advocacy or communications; volunteers; classrooms

Learn More

Basic Data Gathering

Data can be a powerful tool to communicate urgent issues and advocate for change. Use Tree Equity Score data to paint a broad picture of the tree canopy in your community and illustrate how tree infrastructure intersects with important issues like climate and equity. Highlight disparities in tree cover, explain the benefits of adding more trees to priority areas and start to build a case for Tree Equity. We recommend taking some time to play with the Tree Equity Score National Explorer before getting started — it will help to be familiar with the tool as you gather baseline information about your community.

View Activity

Activity Steps

Explore and save maps from the Tree Equity Score National Explorer.

Continuing to use the National Explorer, compile top-level metrics about the people and trees in your community.

Calculate the benefits that the existing tree canopy has brought to your community.

Explore how differences in tree cover may correlate to social inequities, such as poverty or heat disparity.

Set a long-term vision. Illustrate what it will take to significantly expand the tree canopy in your community — and the potential benefits of meeting this goal.

Priority Area Mapping

Adopting an equity-first approach to urban forestry involves prioritizing investments in areas with the greatest need. Use Tree Equity Score data to find areas in your community where residents are more likely to be impacted by extreme heat, pollution and other environmental hazards which could be reduced with the benefits of trees. Follow step-by-step instructions to use Tree Equity Score to determine priority areas based on data.

View Activity

Activity Steps

Open the Tree Equity Score National Explorer and locate your geographic area on the map.

Choose from three simple methods that use decision support tools available in Tree Equity Score to pinpoint priority areas: 1) Set region-wide priorities based on Tree Equity Score targets for your city, county, district or state; 2) Create custom criteria that reflect local priorities; or 3) Find supporting data for specific areas that you have already decided to prioritize.

Finalize a map and a list of priority areas with key data for each area.

In-Person Observation

Data is a powerful tool, but it doesn’t tell the whole story. How does the tree canopy change the way one street feels compared to another? What does a 5º heat disparity really feel like in the height of summer? Take a walk or drive through the priority areas you identified in Activity 1.2 to gain a more nuanced understanding of the lived environment in these neighborhoods. Basic observations will help you to ground your understanding of the data in real-world examples, refine your selection of priority areas and share a more compelling story about Tree Equity to stakeholders.

View Activity

Activity Steps

Visit priority areas when tree leaves are fully developed — during the late spring, summer or early fall —to observe how the canopy cover affects the feel of each neighborhood.

Make observations — use the Neighborhood Field Notes Worksheet as a guide. Engage all five senses to observe tree coverage and environmental conditions (temperature, shade, sounds, scents, etc.).

Optionally, take outdoor temperature readings during the summer to quantify heat disparities.

Take photos as a visual record of the extent and quality of the tree canopy.