Why Do We Need Forests?
Forests are essential to the health and well-being of people
and the planet.
Photo: Brian Kelley
1
A Tree's Journey: Tree Equity
In the United States, how much less tree cover do neighborhoods with a majority of people of color have, compared to neighborhoods with a majority of white people?
Incorrect

American Forests’ Tree Equity Score tool shows low-income communities and communities of color have 25 percent less trees compared to wealthier — often whiter — ones. The findings confirm a disturbing pattern of inequitable distribution of trees that has deprived many communities of color of the life-saving and quality-of-life benefits that sufficient tree cover can deliver.

Correct!

American Forests’ Tree Equity Score tool shows low-income communities and communities of color have 25 percent less trees compared to wealthier — often whiter — ones. The findings confirm a disturbing pattern of inequitable distribution of trees that has deprived many communities of color of the life-saving and quality-of-life benefits that sufficient tree cover can deliver.

Incorrect

American Forests’ Tree Equity Score tool shows low-income communities and communities of color have 25 percent less trees compared to wealthier — often whiter — ones. The findings confirm a disturbing pattern of inequitable distribution of trees that has deprived many communities of color of the life-saving and quality-of-life benefits that sufficient tree cover can deliver.

Get Your Tree Equity Score
Our Tree Equity Score tool calculates a score for all 150,000 neighborhoods and 486 municipalities in urban America — cities and nearby towns that have at least 50,000 people. More than 70% of the U.S. population lives in these urban places.
Achieving Tree Equity can help combat extreme heat
Next Section
Wildlife
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A Tree's Journey: Wildlife
What percentage of land-dwelling species rely on forests to survive?
Incorrect

Eighty percent of land-dwelling species rely on forests to survive. For example, grizzly bears in Montana eat seeds from pine trees in alpine forests. Ocelots in Texas find their mates while traversing thornforests. Even species that live in the water rely on forests. They benefit from the work forests do to keep their habitat — rivers, streams and lakes — clean.

Incorrect

Eighty percent of land-dwelling species rely on forests to survive. For example, grizzly bears in Montana eat seeds from pine trees in alpine forests. Ocelots in Texas find their mates while traversing thornforests. Even species that live in the water rely on forests. They benefit from the work forests do to keep their habitat — rivers, streams and lakes — clean.

Correct!

Eighty percent of land-dwelling species rely on forests to survive. For example, grizzly bears in Montana eat seeds from pine trees in alpine forests. Ocelots in Texas find their mates while traversing thornforests. Even species that live in the water rely on forests. They benefit from the work forests do to keep their habitat — rivers, streams and lakes — clean.

Wildlife Habitat is Being Degraded and Destroyed
Many forest-dwelling animals are threatened by deforestation and forest degradation caused by climate change-induced outbreaks for pests and diseases, droughts and wildfires. In addition, sprawling development is pushing many species into smaller forest habitats, threatening their ability to survive and multiply.
A true trailblazer for whitebark pine
Next Section
Climate Change
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A Tree's Journey: Climate Change
What natural resource in the United States captures and stores the most carbon?
Incorrect

Annually in the U.S., forests and forest products capture and store almost 15 percent of the country’s carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels, making them nature’s best solution to climate change. They have the potential to capture nearly twice as much if we plant more trees, use climate-smart practices to manage our forests and take other actions.

Correct!

Annually in the U.S., forests and forest products capture and store almost 15 percent of the country’s carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels, making them nature’s best solution to climate change. They have the potential to capture nearly twice as much if we plant more trees, use climate-smart practices to manage our forests and take other actions.

Incorrect

Annually in the U.S., forests and forest products capture and store almost 15 percent of the country’s carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels, making them nature’s best solution to climate change. They have the potential to capture nearly twice as much if we plant more trees, use climate-smart practices to manage our forests and take other actions.

Look Beyond the Trees
Forest soils hold 58%of the carbon in forests, which is more than all the carbon stored in trees and forest products combined.
Legislating today for a better climate tomorrow