In Saint Paul, nearly one third of the city is covered by tree canopy, but that coverage is uneven and inequitable both racial/ethnically and socioeconomically and leaves many neighborhoods within urban heat islands. Emerald ash borer (EAB) has rapidly spread, compounding the problem. In 2021 alone, the City of Saint Paul removed 3,000 ash trees and Saint Paul Public Schools removed 500, many in existing heat islands. Thousands more will be removed by 2024 due to EAB damage.
Heat islands lead to poor air and water quality, higher energy costs, and an increase in heat-related illnesses, deaths, and negative health outcomes. These impacts will intensify as our climate changes, temperatures rise, and we experience more extreme heat events in Minnesota.