Less tree cover in formerly redlined areas of Philadelphia compared to rich neighborhoods

 

These images are part of an interactive essay from the New York Times that examines the amount of tree cover present in affluent neighborhoods of Philadelphia (e.g. Chestnut Hill, Fig. 1) and compares that to tree cover in formerly redlined districts of the city (Fig. 2). The authors (Ian Leahy and Yaryna Serkez) use data from maps to present fascinating visualizations of the amount of tree canopy cover in rich vs. poor neighborhoods, which can cause large differences in average temperatures (they report up to 10 degrees Fahrenheit) and affect the general wellbeing of residents. The interactive essay assists in visualizing the problem using effects such as highlighting key areas with polygons and labels. It's clear from the imagery used how many more trees exist in Chestnut Hill compared to the formerly redlined areas, indicating the continuing effects of discriminatory housing practices from decades ago.  

Fig. 1: a wealthy neighborhood called Chestnut Hill (highlighted and outlined in white borders) shows high levels of green tree canopy, which contributes to resident's wellbeing. 

Fig. 2: formerly redlined areas of Philadelphia are shown bordered and shaded with red. There exists a clear lack of green tree canopy in these regions.

Image and story source: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/06/30/opinion/environmental-inequity-trees-critical-infrastructure.html