Restorative Solutions: Designing an Intersectional Approach to Green Infrastructure

11:15am - Main Stage

Join this round table discussion where speakers will discuss the linkages between historic and contemporary environmental racism and low tree density, air pollution, and urban heat island effect, which are disproportionately experienced within BIPOC communities. With climate change worsening the severity of wildfire and extreme heat, people living in communities with little green infrastructure are experiencing greater layers of burden, with substantially fewer protections than communities without histories of environmental racism. Speakers will discuss the importance of using an intersectional and collaborative approach that recognizes the complexity of a community's various burdens and strengths when designing green infrastructure projects, and how such an approach can both improve environmental and human health outcomes while honoring cultural traditions and practices. Attendees will learn from the successes and challenges of community-led greening efforts and leave with practical strategies to address climate inequities in their own work. This session aims to equip participants with the tools and knowledge to design programs that mitigate climate risks and create healthier, more resilient communities for all.