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I'm Dr. Anthony Liesiewicz, and this is Climate Connections. Life can be hard for trees in the city. They may have little space for their roots to spread and can be vulnerable to invasive pests and disease. And as the climate warms, more extreme heat and drought threaten tree health.
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And those are both worse in urban environments.
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But Christy Rawlinson, senior scientist in forest ecology at the Morton Arboretum near Chicago, and says the threats vary across a city.
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You've got those trees that are in the parking lot, you've got trees in a park, and each of those are going to experience slightly different conditions.
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So her team is gathering data on which tree species better tolerate stresses such as an occasional drought or flooding, and which are more likely to thrive in specific kinds of places, like along a busy road, under utility lines, or in people's backyards. And they're sharing that data online to help cities, nurseries and homeowners identify the best trees to plant. Her team also uses satellite data to monitor the urban forest in the Chicago area. She says they'll use that data to identify areas stressed by drought. With that information, cities and towns can prioritize watering where it's needed most, so the region's urban forests can grow and thrive even as the climate warms. Climate Connections is produced by the Yale center for Environmental Communication. To learn more about climate change, visit climateconnections.or.
Title: How data could help protect city trees in the Chicago area
Date: March 11, 2026
Host: Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz, Yale Center for Environmental Communication
Guest: Christy Rawlinson, Senior Scientist in Forest Ecology at the Morton Arboretum, Chicago
This episode explores how urban trees are impacted by climate change—particularly in the Chicago area—and highlights how scientists are using new data-driven strategies to protect and sustain city trees amid rising temperatures and increased drought.
Trees in urban environments face unique hardships: limited space for roots, higher exposure to invasive pests and disease, and more extreme climate conditions.
"Life can be hard for trees in the city. They may have little space for their roots to spread and can be vulnerable to invasive pests and disease. And as the climate warms, more extreme heat and drought threaten tree health."
The intensity of these stressors is often greater in cities due to the built environment.
"And those are both worse in urban environments."
"You've got those trees that are in the parking lot, you've got trees in a park, and each of those are going to experience slightly different conditions."
Species Resilience Research:
Making Data Accessible:
"And they're sharing that data online to help cities, nurseries and homeowners identify the best trees to plant."
Leveraging Satellite Data:
Targeted Interventions:
"With that information, cities and towns can prioritize watering where it's needed most, so the region's urban forests can grow and thrive even as the climate warms."
On species variation:
"You've got those trees that are in the parking lot, you've got trees in a park, and each of those are going to experience slightly different conditions."
— Christy Rawlinson, 00:31
On data-driven resilience:
"They're sharing that data online to help cities, nurseries and homeowners identify the best trees to plant."
— Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz, 00:38
On adapting to climate change:
"With that information, cities and towns can prioritize watering where it's needed most, so the region's urban forests can grow and thrive even as the climate warms."
— Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz, 00:50
This episode demonstrates how both ground-based and satellite data are revolutionizing the way urban forestry teams address tree health in the face of warming climates. By tailoring interventions and sharing findings widely, Chicago is setting an example for how cities everywhere can help their urban forests survive and even thrive amidst global warming.