WDET is embarking on a new project exploring the multifaceted relationship between trees and community health in Michigan.

Amanda Le Claire, lead reporter and managing editor of the tree project, joined The Metro on Earth Day to talk about Detroit’s tree canopy and some of the most recent stories produced by the WDET newsroom.

Le Claire also shared a conversation she had with Andrew “Birch” Kemp, executive director of Arboretum Detroit, about a community forest restoration project on Detroit’s east side.

Studies have shown that urban tree canopies help make communities more climate resilient, reduce air pollution, and combat the urban heat island effect — exposing residents to higher risks of heat-related illness and higher cooling costs. 

The tree canopy project will dig into all of these topics and more over 24 months of reporting.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

–WDET’s Jenny Sherman contributed to this report.

More stories from The Metro on Tuesday, April 22:

• Detroit’s Pope Francis Center leader reflects on late pontiff’s legacy
• Enjoy ‘Art in the Trees’ at Palmer Park in celebration of Earth Day
• Detroit Public Library is ready to help in many ways
• Michigan ends mandatory life sentences for 19 and 20-year-olds convicted of murder

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

More stories from The Metro

Detroit’s General Service Department is looking to increase the tree canopy across the city to improve citizens’ quality of life. The department is accepting requests from residents for tree plantings in their neighborhoods.

The free program is open to residents and small businesses to plant a tree on the berm in front of their property.

Savion Stephens, tree planting program manager for the city of Detroit, says trees can help improve residents’ quality of life.

“And what that looks like is improving air quality over time, conserving water, reducing soil erosion, filtering runoff, reducing flooding, and even things like lowering energy costs and raising property values,” he said.

Trees are also known to trap pollutants such as dirt, ash, pollen and smoke which can help those with asthma.

Stephens says the city plants over 50 different species of tree throughout the city.

“They’re primarily urban tolerant trees for public and private property, including some native species like oak and elm,” he said.

The planting process involves three phases: utility marking, tree location marking, and tree planting. Eligibility for a tree is assessed based on site conditions, including utility lines and soil quality.

The city has planted up to 14,000 trees annually through this program.

Residents who would like to request a tree must fill out this form.

Detroit’s five reasons to plant a tree

1. Clean air. Trees absorb pollutants and improve air quality, reducing respiratory issues.
2. Cooler summer. A single tree can lower temperatures by up to 10°, providing shade and cutting cooling costs.
3. Stronger neighborhoods. Tree-lined streets increase property values and create a more welcoming community.
4. Flood prevention. Trees absorb excess rainwater, reducing the risk of street flooding.
5. Wildlife Habitat. Trees support birds, bees, and other beneficial wildlife, keeping our ecosystem balanced.

The National Poll on Healthy Aging has released new data regarding how climate change and extreme weather impact health for adults 50 and up.

Sue Ann Bell, associate professor of nursing at the University of Michigan, says she hopes the poll encourages older adults, health care providers and people who work in emergency response and government to prepare to care for older adults during emergencies. 

“To prioritize extreme weather events and extreme weather event planning, because I think one thing we see so often is that we go for a period of time without a disaster happening. And you know, so you have sort of a false sense of confidence that can lead to being less prepared.”

The poll asked older adults about their experiences with extreme weather events and their concerns about how extreme weather events might impact their health, both now and in the future. 

The survey found that 75% of people who’ve lived through an extreme weather event said they were very concerned about the impacts of these events on their own health, and that’s compared to around 33% of older adults in Michigan who had not experienced an extreme weather event. 

Read the full report here.

More headlines for Monday, April 14, 2025:

• The Michigan Attorney General’s office has launched a new form for residents to report social security benefit disruptions and share their experiences.
• The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan is recommending that U.S. citizens be vigilant when traveling internationally, as Customs and Border Protection may want to search the electronic devices of some people coming back in the U.S.
• The city of Detroit is accepting requests from residents for tree plantings in their neighborhoods to help improve the city’s tree canopy.
• A documentary focused on pro-Palestine encampments at universities across the U.S. has come to Detroit. Screenings of “The Encampments“ will be held daily at the Bel Air Luxury Cinema, 10100 8 Mile Rd., Detroit through April 17.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

The nonprofit Greening of Detroit says the severe flooding caused by a recent water main break in Southwest Detroit may have affected the trees there, but they won’t know until May or June.

The Greening of Detroit plants city-tolerant trees that can sustain conditions like heavy pollution and flooding from clogged storm drains — or in this case — a water main break. The nonprofit planted nearly 250 trees in Southwest Detroit in 2021.

Fai Foen, director of green infrastructure at the Greening of Detroit, said the group chose urban tolerant trees to protect them from issues like this.

“We plant trees in Southwest and other parts of the city that might be exposed to pollution, air pollution, whether it’s manufacturing or a highway,” she said.

Foen says people are more of a danger to trees than the environment.

“You know, like, if it’s in a park, you know, the kids see the branch there may grab it. Or, like you can’t control for all the individuals that walk by a tree and just want to give it a good grab,” Foen said. “And I think the hidden trees that are being mown and maybe nicked at the base of the tree causes damage, but it’s like a death from like 1,000 cuts over a longer period of time.”

Foen said the flooding did not last long enough to have a lasting effect on the trees. But they won’t know for sure how much they were affected until the trees wake from their dormant period.