“The Roots of Justice: How Trees Are Transforming Cities and Saving Lives”

On a recent episode of The Good Government Show, Benita Hussain, Chief Program Officer at American Forests, delivered a powerful message: trees are not just decoration—they’re infrastructure. Speaking with host Dave Martin, Hussain explained how urban trees are critical to public health, climate resilience, and community well-being. “Neighborhoods with trees can be up to 20 degrees cooler than those without,” she noted. “That’s not just a number—it’s a matter of life and death during a heatwave.”

Founded in 1875, American Forests is the oldest conservation organization in the United States, but Hussain’s mission is anything but outdated. Her focus is “Tree Equity”—a term the organization coined to describe the stark disparities in tree canopy between rich and poor neighborhoods, often divided along racial lines. Using data-driven tools like the Tree Equity Score, Hussain and her team identify communities that have been historically left behind and work with cities to reverse that pattern. “Communities of color have 38% less tree cover,” she said. “That’s a legacy of redlining and disinvestment. And it’s our job to fix it.”

Hussain, who formerly served in the administrations of Boston mayors Menino and Walsh and worked on affordable housing in New York City, brings a deep understanding of public policy to her role. Her team collaborates with over 100 cities, helping mayors and local officials plant the right trees, in the right places, for the right reasons. From Phoenix to Spokane, American Forests has been a key player in leveraging $1.5 billion in federal funding to build greener, more equitable urban environments.

Perhaps most inspiring is how Hussain’s work connects to broader social impact. She spoke passionately about workforce development programs that train formerly incarcerated individuals in urban forestry, creating career pathways while ensuring trees thrive long after they’re planted. “You can’t just plant a tree and walk away,” she emphasized. “Maintenance, community buy-in, and jobs—these are all part of the ecosystem.”

As she told Martin, good government means using truthful data to meet the real needs of communities—and trees, it turns out, are a vital part of the solution. “We are in a moment in time,” Hussain said, “to rethink how we govern and how we serve. Trees must be part of that vision.”