The briefing aims to build a deeper bipartisan understanding of the broad impacts of extreme heat on communities and our ecosystems
WASHINGTON, D.C. — American Forests, the first national nonprofit conservation organization in the U.S., is hosting a Congressional briefing on Tuesday, May 14 at the Longworth House Office Building on policies that can help to reduce the increasingly severe impacts of extreme heat on communities and ecosystems across the country. The briefing is hosted by U.S. Representatives Ruben Gallego and Bonnie Watson Coleman, and will include a panel discussion with leading climate stakeholders in the non-profit, public health, and community-based sectors on work being done in the field to reduce extreme heat.
Underserved communities and communities of color are less likely to have an equitable distribution of tree canopy in their neighborhoods, providing less natural protection across racial and financial backgrounds and making their streets hotter on average. This briefing will allow Hill participants to engage with experts in the field towards developing policy solutions aimed at mitigating extreme heat impacts as climate events continue to worsen.
When & Where:
Tuesday, May 14
1416 Longworth House Office Building
Time: 1:00 PM
Address: 1416 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C.
Virtual Live Stream Available here.
RSVP:
To attend the briefing, RSVP to AmericanForests@theabbiagency.com
On-site Media Contact:
Lee Poston, 202-891-9928, lposton@americanforests.org
About:
Extreme heat events continue to worsen across the U.S., with 645 people having died from heat-related deaths just in Maricopa County, AZ in 2023. These extreme heat events are exacerbated by the lack of Tree Equity, or equitable access to tree canopy, in underserved communities across the country, providing less natural protection across racial and financial barriers. Communities of color on average have 38 percent less tree cover and are over 10°F hotter than white communities. Lower income neighborhoods have 28 percent less cover and are almost 7°F hotter than wealthier ones.
American Forests has built partnerships with cities, organizations, and federal agencies to utilize REPLANT Act, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act funds to implement science-smart Tree Equity policies to ensure there are enough trees in every part of every city, creating tens of thousands of jobs in the process. However, more funds are needed to ensure that public-private partnerships can continue to thrive and achieve their goals of planting millions of trees across the country.
To help accelerate this movement for Tree Equity, American Forests, GreenLatinos and Groundwork USA have come together to form the Tree Equity Alliance. This partnership aims to create a multi-sector voice around Tree Equity as an issue that transcends climate justice, transportation and land use and other issue areas, leveraging expertise in urban greening, tree planting, community impact, addressing environmental injustice, and training grassroots advocates. The Alliance partners provide a range of support directly to cities, nonprofits and community groups committed to Tree Equity as part of a collective impact model, from technical assistance to training to federal funding.
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ABOUT AMERICAN FORESTS: American Forests is the first national nonprofit conservation organization created in the U.S. Since its founding in 1875, the organization has been the pathfinders for the forest conservation movement. Its mission is to create healthy and resilient forests, from cities to large natural landscapes, that deliver essential benefits for climate, people, water and wildlife. The organization advances its mission through forestry, innovation, place-based partnerships to plant and restore forests, and movement building. For more information visit: www.americanforests.org.
ABOUT GREENLATINOS: GreenLatinos is an active comunidad of Latino/a/e leaders, emboldened by the power and wisdom of our culture, united to demand equity and dismantle racism, resourced to win our environmental, conservation, and climate justice battles, and driven to secure our political, economic, cultural, and environmental liberation. We envision a healthy and equitable society where communities of color are liberated from disproportionate environmental burdens, free to breathe fresh air, drink pure water, access clean transportation and enjoy our majestic public lands, ocean, and waters.
ABOUT GROUNDWORK USA: Groundwork USA is the national capacity-building organization for a network of people-centered environmental justice organizations, Groundwork Trusts, working hand-in-hand with residents to transform environmentally disadvantaged urban neighborhoods into communities that are healthy, green, and resilient. For over two decades, we have worked to undo the legacies of poverty and racial discrimination and build the capacity of communities to effect change in the natural and built environments in which they live. We do this by developing community-based partnerships that empower people, businesses, and organizations to promote environmental, economic, and social well-being.
ABOUT CHILDREN & NATURE NETWORK: The Children & Nature Network believes, and research proves, that regular time outdoors is essential for children’s healthy development. The nonprofit organization leads a global movement of leaders, educators, practitioners and parents working to ensure equitable access to the benefits of nature everywhere children live, learn and play. Learn more at childrenandnature.org and get connected on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and The Trailhead, a free online community for global children and nature leaders.
ABOUT CHISPA AZ/LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS: Chispa (Spanish for ‘Spark’) is an offshoot of the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) with the single aim to better and create healthier environments in Latinx communities and communities of people of color. So often, these communities are disproportionately impacted by poor environmental policies. We champion the people’s right to clean air, clean water, clean energy, and a healthy environment they can be proud of. For us, this is more than simply putting solutions on the table.
Chispa wields the power of the people and the strength in our voice to rally and engage grassroots communities, drive awareness and inclusiveness, and boost the local communities’ participation in governance and democracy to shape critical environmental policies and decisions that directly affect our people, our environments and ultimately, our future. Currently, Chispa enjoys a robust presence in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Texas, Nevada, and Maryland.