Feeling the heat, a Santa Rosa neighborhood rethinks its tree canopy for a cooler future

AS THE AUGUST SUN BROKE THROUGH the morning fog in southwest Santa Rosa, two dozen local residents convened in the gravel picnic ground of Bayer Park and Gardens. They found seats under a shaded awning, and the group did what strangers often do: They talked about the weather. Their neighborhood — called Roseland — had gotten hotter over the years, many agreed, with global warming trends apparently taking noticeable effect. Air conditioners had only recently become a valued commodity. One man said he used to live in a cooler place nearer the ocean but was squeezed by rising rent to the much more affordable — but also much hotter — Roseland.

Roseland, in fact, has been recognized by state officials as one of California’s most heat-burdened communities — which is largely attributable to its dearth of street trees and urban canopy. Now, it’s due for a climate mitigation makeover. To carry out this upgrade, the community planning group Greenbelt Alliance, along with Latino Service Providers, is facilitating the use of a $473,115 grant recently awarded by the state to develop an “extreme heat action plan.”