Program on the Environment

Greenspace inequity (GI) is the disproportionate access to greenspace with multiple contributing factors like lack of safety, far proximity and lack of maintenance due to disproportionate distribution among socioeconomic and racial status. Within the United States, greenspace is the least accessible for neighborhoods that were historically redlined and of lower socioeconomic status and Black makeup, creating health and socioeconomic disparities. Acknowledging today’s effects of redlining, the City of Seattle confronts GI with multiple greenspace initiatives; however, there’s a lack of report backs on the impact of greenspace initiatives within communities that face GI. This research evaluates how effectively Seattle’s efforts have mitigated socioeconomic, health, and cultural disparities related to GI, and how public engagement influences greenspace equity. As a science communications intern with the UW Center for Nature and Health, I synthesized scientific articles on greenspace benefits for marginalized urban communities; conducted interviews and surveys on community greenspace experiences; analyzed GIS data on greenspace distribution; and compiled public data on Seattle’s greenspace funding, demographics, health disparities, and environmental conditions. Findings revealed both strengths and gaps in current greenspace initiatives. This research highlights areas for improvement and suggests directions for future efforts to ensure greenspace equity in historically underserved communities.