Exploring Community Co-Creation in Tree Planting and Heat-Related Health Interventions: A Qualitative Study

Olivia J. Keenan (), Aalayna R. Green, Alexander R. Young, Sarah R. Young, Daniel S. W. Katz, David L. Miller, Wenna Xi, Fiona Lo, Evelyn Ortiz, Glenn McMillan, Curtis L. Archer and Arnab K. Ghosh ()
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Olivia J. Keenan: Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, 420 E 70th St, New York, NY 10065, USA
Aalayna R. Green: Department of Natural Resources & the Environment, Cornell University, 111 Fernow Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
Alexander R. Young: Earth Systems Research Center, University of New Hampshire, 8 College Road, Durham, NH 03824, USA
Sarah R. Young: Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, 420 E 70th St, New York, NY 10065, USA
Daniel S. W. Katz: School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, 306 Tower Rd., Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
David L. Miller: School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, 306 Tower Rd., Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
Wenna Xi: Division of Biostatistics, Department of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, 425 E 61st St, New York, NY 10065, USA
Fiona Lo: Environmental Defense Fund, 1875 Connecticut Ave NW Ste 600, Washington, DC 20009, USA
Evelyn Ortiz: Improve Chronic Disease Outcomes Through Multi-Level and Multi-Generational Approaches Unifying Novel Interventions and Training for Health Equity (COMMUNITY) Center Collaborative, 622 W 168th St, New York, NY 10032, USA
Glenn McMillan: Columbia University Center for Community Health, 610 W 130th St., New York, NY 10027, USA
Curtis L. Archer: Harlem Community Development Corporation, 163 W. 125th St, 17th Floor, New York, NY 10027, USA
Arnab K. Ghosh: Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, 420 E 70th St, New York, NY 10065, USA

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 6, 1-23

Abstract: Climate-amplified extreme heat events are particularly dangerous for city dwellers. Nature-based solutions such as urban greening may serve as an effective preventative strategy against extreme heat. Driven by historical injustices such as redlining, disadvantaged communities often face limited green space and a heightened risk of vulnerability to extreme heat in urban environments. This paper investigates community engagement strategies for heat-vulnerable community participation in urban greening research as a part of a broader transdisciplinary environmental research praxis focused on multistakeholder co-creation. We conducted semi-structured interviews with community leaders in heat-vulnerable neighborhoods in New York City to explore community co-creation in the design and implementation of tree planting, and compared these themes with interviews with urban tree professionals and other community groups. Overall, the participants agreed on broad themes of environmental justice, intergenerational engagement, community building, and socioecological relationships, although community leaders differed in both a greater emphasis of experiential knowledge and reduced focus on volunteer community stewardship. The findings inform our research process and associated community engagement, including building online resources and addressing community-specific concerns during the research process. We conclude by recommending future steps for facilitating multistakeholder conversations to build inclusive and equitable urban greening heat-adaptive strategies.

Keywords: environmental justice; heat-related health; community co-creation; tree planting; extreme heat; transdisciplinary; qualitative research (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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