Helping Justice Take Root: In Manchester, New Hampshire, trees serve as a stark symbol of environmental and climate injustice.

• Author: O'Reilly, Laurie
• Position: COMMUNITY

A TRIP DOWN MANCHESTER'S BEECH STREET REVEALS A SAD IRONY ABOUT ITS TREE-INSPIRED NAME: The farther south on Beech you travel, the fewer trees you'll see. The same holds true of Chestnut, Elm, Pine, and Maple streets.

The unofficial dividing line in the city Bridge Street is perhaps more aptly named. North of Bridge, you'll find neighborhoods filled with single-family houses. Trees here are not only abundant but also tall, lush, and decades old. South of Bridge, the cityscape changes to one of industrial buildings and multifamily homes. Trees are more sparse and smaller, with fewer leaves filling their canopies.

The problem here isn't just one of aesthetics, says Arnold Mikolo, CLF's environmental justice advocate in New Hampshire. "They help to prevent chronic health issues such as asthma and heart disease, especially during heat waves. They create shade that helps communities save money on energy costs. Trees even have a calming effect on drivers, so they tend not to speed."

In our warming world, trees are critical for dealing with climate impacts. They especially help to alleviate "heat islands" urbanized areas that endure higher temperatures because their roads, buildings, and other infrastructure absorb, rather than reflect, the sun's heat.

It's no coincidence that the people living with the least tree cover in Manchester (and nationwide) have lower incomes and tend to be people of color and immigrants who speak limited English. "It comes down to wealth. It comes down to money," says Mikolo. "You're a homeowner, so having trees in your yard is a no-brainer, right?"

But those living in Manchester's lower-income neighborhoods who are more likely to rent than to own a home tend to view the lack of trees as the norm. And the health consequences, too. "These residents carry the environmental impact of that as a burden. And that's what environmental justice or, really, injustice is," says Mikolo.

Addressing such injustice lies at the heart of Mikolo's work in Manchester. He joined CLF as a community organizer two years ago to help build an environmental justice movement in the city--one in which change happens from the ground up.

He initially spent his time simply listening so he could learn what issues residents worry about the most and hear their ideas for solutions. "Community neighbors are the experts on the matters affecting them," he says.

Mikolo also reached out to business owners of color and local nonprofits and attended community...