There are incredible advantages to having trees in an urban environment. They cool our streets, something you will notice when you walk out of the shade of a street with trees onto one that is barren concrete. Tree cover is one of the most effective ways of dealing with the heat island effect. Trees need water, which they absorb from the ground. When there are heavy rains, that ground will be ready to absorb a lot more water, which will prevent it from overflowing our sewer system.
These same trees then release water vapor over time, which helps cool the streets further. As Philadelphia has won The Most Walkable City in the US Award of 2023 by USA Today readers, it is important to keep up this trend as trees make for even more walkable streets, and further a sense of community.
A Comparison: Streets with Trees and Streets Without
Comparing two intersections in South Philly, one at 16th & Federal, and the other at 17th & Johnston, you can see which is more inviting to pedestrians, and more likely to be cooler in the Summer.
16th Street & Federal St.
17th Street & Johnston St.