Shade in Austin: Is it the same for everyone?

AUSTIN (KXAN) — While Austin ranks high for providing shade, some portions of the city could provide even more, especially as summer approaches, according to an organization that worked on a map to show what parts of the city have tree cover. Meteorological summer officially began June 1, and this means that temperatures in Austin, Texas, will only continue to rise and affect those spending time outside.

The Shade Map, developed by American Forests and the UCLA Luskin Center of Innovation, indicates that Austin has approximately 33 million trees providing natural shade and cooling. This number places the city at a 92 on the Tree Equity Score, indicating strong overall tree coverage for the city overall.

While this number is high, tree distribution is not necessarily equal across neighbor