North Philly isn’t the only place where land is coming alive. In cities across the United States, people struggling with food insecurity and lack of green space are looking to urban food production to tackle both. Covering more surfaces in vegetation can mitigate the heat island effect that disproportionately affects low-income communities and will only become more dangerous as the world warms. It can also provide a much needed source of fresh produce. While many are familiar with growing vegetables in backyards, rooftops, and urban farms, there’s another approach gaining popularity among policymakers, nonprofits, and residents: planting food-bearing trees.
Read more at Next City.