Clark Dean: Trees Key to Massachusetts Heat Resilience

“What I love about working on these problems at the community level is that, by working close to the ground, some of the politics really start to dissolve.”

By-Hank Stolz
Graphic-Radio Worcester/Photo Clark University

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Worcester, MA- Massachusetts has appointed its first heat resilience officer, Katie Schlick. The Bay State becomes the second state, after Arizona, to establish the position.

Lou Leonard applauds the move.

“It’s about public health. It’s about endangering people’s lives. It’s about undermining the quality of life of our citizens, including those who are most vulnerable among us,” Leonard said.

Extreme Heat Poses a Growing Public Health Threat

Extreme heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths in America. Yet Massachusetts lacks extensive historical experience with such temperatures and remains unprepared, according to Leonard.

“Extreme heat is actually the largest killer of people in America compared to any other kind of natural disaster or, let’s say, climate change-driven problem combined,” Leonard said.

Urban Trees Provide Natural Cooling

Leonard, dean of Clark University’s School of Climate, Environment and Society, told Radio Worcester’s Talk of the Commonwealth that urban tree canopies serve as free air conditioning. Data show that neighborhoods with adequate tree cover experience significantly lower summer temperatures than neighborhoods without it.

“Trees. Listen, that may seem like something very simple, but it’s going to have a giant impact,” Leonard said. “That is just common sense.”

Clark University Studies Tree Health in Gateway Cities

The state’s partnership with Clark University focuses on urban tree health through temperature assessments and the monitoring of planted trees across Gateway Cities.

“At Clark, we have been working for 25 years on urban tree health,” Leonard said. “Over the last decade, we’ve been partnering with the state Department of Conservation and Recreation on its urban tree-planting program.”

Tree-Canopy Disparities Increase Heat Risks

A critical disparity exists between affluent neighborhoods, where tree-canopy coverage can reach 40%, and lower-income areas, where coverage can be as low as 10%. That disparity directly affects residents’ vulnerability to extreme heat.

Community-level solutions, including strategic tree-planting programs, offer practical approaches that can transcend political divisions. They can also provide immediate, tangible benefits to residents while addressing the public health concerns associated with rising temperatures.

“What I love about working on these problems at the community level here in Worcester and in other communities in Massachusetts is that, by working close to the ground on these questions, some of the politics really start to dissolve,” Leonard said.