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Hotter days on Long Island reveal stark differences in tree cover<\/strong><\/p>\n LONG ISLAND, New York (Sunday, July 6, 2025, 10:20 a.m. local time)<\/strong> \u2014 Triple-digit heat<\/strong> has returned to Long Island<\/strong>, underscoring what researchers call a growing “shade gap<\/strong>” between affluent neighborhoods and lower-income communities<\/strong>. The heat wave<\/strong> that engulfed much of the Eastern United States<\/strong> in late June<\/strong> saw temperatures soar to 102\u00b0F (39\u00b0C)<\/strong> in parts of Nassau County<\/strong>. Combined with stifling humidity<\/strong>, the air on June 24<\/strong> felt closer to 111\u00b0F (44\u00b0C)<\/strong>. Even wildlife struggled \u2014 crows in Uniondale<\/strong> were visibly panting under the relentless sun.<\/p>\n While no single heat event<\/strong> can be definitively tied to human-caused climate change<\/strong>, scientists with Climate Central<\/strong>, based in Princeton, New Jersey<\/strong>, say the recent heat dome<\/strong> was at least five times more likely<\/strong> due to global warming<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Extreme heat events<\/strong> like these are expected to intensify<\/strong> in the coming decades. By the 2050s<\/strong>, Long Island\u2019s<\/strong> average annual temperatures are projected to rise between 3.8\u00b0F and 5.8\u00b0F (2.1\u00b0C and 3.2\u00b0C)<\/strong>. By the 2080s<\/strong>, the increase could reach as high as 9.5\u00b0F (5.3\u00b0C)<\/strong> over historical averages from 1981 to 2010<\/strong>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Vulnerable communities hit hardest<\/strong><\/p>\n But the heat<\/strong> doesn\u2019t affect everyone equally. According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation<\/strong>, lower-income communities<\/strong> and people of color<\/strong> disproportionately bear the brunt of extreme temperatures \u2014 in part because they live in neighborhoods with fewer trees<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Take Hempstead<\/strong>, for example. Once shaped by decades of segregation<\/strong>, this town today remains starkly different from neighboring Garden City<\/strong> in terms of tree canopy<\/strong>. Streets in Hempstead<\/strong> are dominated by concrete<\/strong>, while Garden City<\/strong> is shaded by mature London plane trees<\/strong> and expansive green lawns<\/strong>. On the third day of June\u2019s heat wave<\/strong>, the asphalt in Hempstead<\/strong> radiated heat so intensely it felt unbearable. A few blocks away in Garden City<\/strong>, the shaded streets were noticeably cooler \u2014 by at least 10\u00b0F (5.5\u00b0C)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The impact of trees on local climate<\/strong><\/p>\n Trees are a powerful defense<\/strong> against rising temperatures. They capture carbon dioxide<\/strong>, reduce street-level heat<\/strong>, and cool the air through evapotranspiration<\/strong>. But data from American Forests<\/strong>, a nonprofit in Washington<\/strong>, shows the difference in canopy cover<\/strong> between Hempstead<\/strong> and Garden City<\/strong> is dramatic. Tree equity maps reveal Garden City<\/strong> blocks have up to 41% canopy coverage<\/strong>, while some areas of Hempstead<\/strong> have as little as 5%<\/strong>.<\/p>\n This disparity was felt firsthand by Bradley Hinton<\/strong>, 74, who lives in senior public housing<\/strong> in Hempstead<\/strong>. During a recent heat wave, he noted the stark contrast: “Six blocks away, there\u2019s trees everywhere \u2014 it\u2019s obviously cooler and more pleasant \u2014 you can hide away from the sun.”<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Programs and promises fall short<\/strong><\/p>\n While property owners<\/strong> in Hempstead<\/strong> can request a curbside tree for $495<\/strong>, and the town includes trees in some streetscape renewal projects<\/strong>, officials have not shared how many trees have actually been planted.<\/p>\n Despite millions in federal and state grants<\/strong>, disadvantaged communities<\/strong> on Long Island<\/strong> have received little benefit<\/strong>. Under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act<\/strong>, President Joe Biden<\/strong> allocated $1.5 billion<\/strong> to urban forestry through the U.S. Forest Service<\/strong> \u2014 40 times the usual budget. Yet, Glen Cove<\/strong> was the only town<\/strong> on Long Island<\/strong> to receive funding, and that was for pest prevention<\/strong>, not tree planting<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Worse still, in February<\/strong>, the U.S. Forest Service<\/strong>, under former President Donald Trump<\/strong>, began cancelling grants, stating that such projects no longer aligned with the agency\u2019s updated focus on “diversity, equity and inclusion<\/strong>.”<\/p>\n New York Governor Kathy Hochul<\/strong> pledged to plant 25 million trees by 2033<\/strong>, with $37 million<\/strong> set aside for this effort. Still, only 2,800 trees<\/strong> have been planted on Long Island<\/strong> so far \u2014 the lowest<\/strong> of the state\u2019s ten regions \u2014 despite the area being one of New York\u2019s most deforested<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Of the 327,000 trees<\/strong> planted statewide since 2024<\/strong>, just 90,624<\/strong> have been in disadvantaged communities<\/strong>. Yet towns like Patchogue<\/strong> and Valley Stream<\/strong>, which each received $75,000<\/strong> for planting, do not meet the state\u2019s threshold for \u201cdisadvantaged.\u201d<\/p>\n Hempstead<\/strong> residents like Hinton<\/strong> say the lack of action is frustrating. When asked if he supports a large-scale planting effort in his neighborhood, his answer was heartfelt and urgent: “I sure would. I\u2019ll be waiting on my knees.<\/strong>“<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Hotter days on Long Island reveal stark differences in tree cover LONG ISLAND, New York (Sunday, July 6, 2025, 10:20 a.m. local time) \u2014 Triple-digit heat has returned to Long Island, underscoring what researchers call a growing “shade gap” between affluent neighborhoods and lower-income communities. The heat wave that engulfed much of the Eastern United […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5496,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5495","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n