Research has shown that tree cover correlates with better test scores, but a duo from the University of Utah wanted to get closer to knowing whether that is because of wealth inequality or environmental factors.
What's happening?
Economics professor Alberto Garcia and ecologist Michelle Lee studied the attendance and performance on standardized tests of third- through eighth-graders in the Chicago metropolitan area from 2003 to 2012, according to a news release. That time frame overlapped with an infestation of emerald ash borer, and students who experienced it performed worse after infestations from 2006 to 2014.
The invasive beetle killed about half the region's ash trees, which made up 18% of street trees as the most common noninvasive species, from 2010 to 2020.
Schools with more low-income students did not have as many infestations because they are located in areas with less tree cover. Low-income students in wealthier schools were impacted the most.
"We got kind of lucky that the state of Illinois was administering this standardized test in that same window when the ash borer first arrived in the area," Garcia said. "Every school in Illinois was taking the same test, so we had consistent data across schools and through time."
Why is this important?
Only 1.2% of students studied failed to meet or exceed the state standards, but that amounts to around 4,000 students, as there are more than 320,000 students in Chicago-area schools, according to U.S. News and World Report.
The researchers said that the loss of trees could affect the students by making it hotter, increasing air pollution, and decreasing the psychological and physiological benefits of the plants.
"Some possible explanations are just that those students don't have the same resources to go home and recover from, for example, extreme temperatures or pollution-induced headaches the same way that higher-income students at the same schools might have," Garcia said.
What's being done about diminishing tree cover?
The research highlights the importance of tree cover as it relates to wealth inequality. It also shows that invasive species management is critical to our present and future. The emerald ash borer has destroyed hundreds of millions of trees in the United States, from New York to Texas to Oregon.
|
Do you think kids learn enough about gardening in school? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Not even close 🧑🌾 At home, you can contribute to creating a greener, healthier future by planting and maintaining native trees as well as supporting efforts to do the same, especially in cities.
Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
