Summers in New York City are like none other. In my memories of growing up in Queens in the 2000s, I can still hear the laughter of children echoing through the streets, reminding me that this bustling metropolis was our playground, our sanctuary for adventure. The streets were filled with people—families strolling hand-in-hand and friends gathering in parks and on stoops. The energy of the city harmonized with the warm sun, which cast a golden glow on everything it touched.

But I also remember the scorching heat.

I knew the secret to surviving the heat was finding the solace of shade beneath trees. Today, New York summers are hotter than ever. Extreme heat is the leading weather-related cause of death nationally, and some New Yorkers are more vulnerable to this than others. Unfortunately, the respite provided by the trees I cherished is not equitably distributed across New York City neighborhoods, particularly across low-income communities and communities of color. That’s why The Nature Conservancy launched Future Forest NYC―an initiative to ensure that the social and environmental benefits the New York City urban forest provides are shared in a just and equitable way. This includes supporting a robust understanding of the NYC urban forest through science, supporting local stewardship work with partners, and convening and serving as a leading member of Forest for All NYC, a diverse coalition of over 115 members.