The Rizomatik Way

 In Salt Lake City they are finding the summers hotter than ever.  But where the city's trees grow can make a big difference. Amy May is executive director of TreeUtah. She says some neighborhoods have more trees and don't feel the heat so much. "Trees improve air and water quality, lead to better mental health, lower energy consumption and reduce heat." Tree cover on the east side of Salt Lake City is much denser than on the city's west side.  Liberty Park is one of many shaded urban oases to the east of the I-15 dividing line. May urges increasing the urban forest canopy in neglected parts of town to give disadvantaged residents the same buffer against summer heat as more affluent neighborhoods. READ THE WHOLE STORY HERE:   https://www.kuer.org/health-science-environment/2022-06-14/building-an-urban-forest-should-ease-the-inequities-of-salt-lake-citys-heat-island-effect

You can find out at treecitiesoftheworld.org! Tree Cities of The World is an organization devoted to recognizing global leaders in the development of an urban forest. It's a rather exclusive group. Only 138 communities world wide have been so recognized. But they are located in over 20 countries, from Canada to New Zealand, from Argentina to Uganda. Canada, one of the better represented nations, has 18 tree cities at the moment, including Toronto, Victoria and Guelph. How can your city become known for its respect for trees? Reporting for the Toronto Star, Laura Broadly writes, "To become a Tree City, a community must meet five core standards that illustrate a commitment to caring for its trees and forests. These standards include establishing responsibility, setting rules, knowing what you have, allocating resources and celebrating achievements." Dig Deeper Into This Topic: https://treecitiesoftheworld.org/ https://www.thestar.com/local-richmond-hill/news/2021/03/11/r...

I've got to hand it to Queen Elizabeth for including her Green Canopy program to the Platinum Jubilee celebration events. Hurrah! What a wonderful nod to the importance of tree canopy for the world and as a significant aspect of human history. A great thing for the UK too, shoring up London's already ambitious canopy management program. It was even better to learn that Toronto is participating in the program, here known as the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy. Mayor John Tory claims the city has already planted 70 large trees in Rowntree Mills Park, one for each year of Elizabeth's reign. The last one planted in an official ceremony was a black oak, recently designated as Toronto's 'Official Tree.' Photo of Rowntree Mills Park by Miles Hearn Now esteemed naturalist, Miles Hearn, has referred to Rowntree Mills as 'Toronto's Saddest Park.' Apparently he was referring only to the scarcity of human patrons, however, for his article goes on to extol the divers...