Urban Forest Equity Planning
Manchester, New Hampshire
The City of Manchester’s Urban Forest Equity Planning project, funded by the U.S. Forest Service’s Justice40 program, addresses equity and environmental justice by prioritizing disadvantaged neighborhoods for urban forestry improvements. Phase one includes a tree inventory and canopy analysis using advanced field data collection and GIS methodologies. Tablets were used in the field to collect tree data and perform Level 2 tree assessments, while a tree canopy layer identified areas with sparse coverage and potential planting locations.
BETA’s GIS team played a central role in the project by integrating diverse datasets, including equity indicators such as public health, demographic patterns, and environmental stressors. This geospatial analysis enabled the identification of neighborhoods most impacted by urban heat islands, air pollution, and climate vulnerabilities. By visualizing and analyzing these layers, the project created a data-driven foundation for equitable decision-making and prioritization.
The resulting Urban Forestry Equity Plan will outline actionable steps to remove hazardous trees, increase canopy coverage, and enhance climate resilience in underserved areas. Urban forests play a critical role in mitigating climate change, improving air quality, reducing stormwater runoff, and supporting public health.
By aligning environmental benefits with social justice, this project transforms Manchester’s urban landscape and serves as a model for equitable urban forestry planning nationwide.
