Meghan Holtan, planning analyst at A::B, recently published an article from her master’s work that linked tree canopy to residents’ social health using GIS. While trees and parks have already been shown to improve health outcomes and real estate value, this is the first study of its kind that has linked tree canopy at the neighborhood scale to positive individual social outcomes. Trees are a relatively inexpensive and easy intervention to enhance the strength of social ties among neighbors.
