Beyond Redlining: Do Gentrification, Displacement, and Neighborhood Exclusivity Predict Access to Healthy Trees?
Start Date
4-4-2023 4:00 PM
End Date
4-4-2023 6:00 PM
Abstract
Recent studies have established a relationship between formerly redlined areas and areas with higher temperatures and less tree canopy across US cities. However, there are many contemporary socio-spatial and socio-economic processes that shape urban environments and perpetuate inequities along race and class lines. In this paper, we investigate the association between three contemporary processes: gentrification, enclosure, and displacement and their relationship with tree canopy distribution and tree health, and benefits to different communities. Using the American Community Survey data for years 2010-2020, we developed and validated indices representing exclusive, displacement, and gentrified neighborhoods in Portland, Oregon, and correlated these indexes with tree canopy and tree health data using spatial auto-regressive (SAR) and a geographically weighted regression (GWR) model. We hypothesize that historically exclusionary neighborhoods will have higher than average tree canopy density and healthier trees compared to displacement and gentrified neighborhoods, but displacement neighborhoods may have higher tree canopy density and healthy trees than gentrified neighborhoods. An exception will be communities displaced to sacrifice zones with high industrial pollution. This paper builds on theories of uneven urban greening by revealing how historical disinvestments, settlers' environmentalism, racialization of space, and contemporary market forces and housing speculations continue to shape the access of marginalized communities to environmental amenities and their exposure to disamenities.
Subjects
Environmental policy, Land use planning, Sustainable development
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/40468
Beyond Redlining: Do Gentrification, Displacement, and Neighborhood Exclusivity Predict Access to Healthy Trees?
Recent studies have established a relationship between formerly redlined areas and areas with higher temperatures and less tree canopy across US cities. However, there are many contemporary socio-spatial and socio-economic processes that shape urban environments and perpetuate inequities along race and class lines. In this paper, we investigate the association between three contemporary processes: gentrification, enclosure, and displacement and their relationship with tree canopy distribution and tree health, and benefits to different communities. Using the American Community Survey data for years 2010-2020, we developed and validated indices representing exclusive, displacement, and gentrified neighborhoods in Portland, Oregon, and correlated these indexes with tree canopy and tree health data using spatial auto-regressive (SAR) and a geographically weighted regression (GWR) model. We hypothesize that historically exclusionary neighborhoods will have higher than average tree canopy density and healthier trees compared to displacement and gentrified neighborhoods, but displacement neighborhoods may have higher tree canopy density and healthy trees than gentrified neighborhoods. An exception will be communities displaced to sacrifice zones with high industrial pollution. This paper builds on theories of uneven urban greening by revealing how historical disinvestments, settlers' environmentalism, racialization of space, and contemporary market forces and housing speculations continue to shape the access of marginalized communities to environmental amenities and their exposure to disamenities.
