Northeast Ohio is losing its tree canopy at a rapid clip. In Cuyahoga County alone, a recent survey found that nearly 10 square miles worth of tree canopy disappeared over a six-year period.
That's a big deal for environmental advocates, who point to the importance of a robust tree canopy when dealing with concerns like heat islands and air quality. Trees can also help mitigate the effects of severe weather events like flooding.
Thursday on the "Sound of Ideas," we'll discuss the region's thinning tree canopy and what's being done to reverse the trend.
We'll hear about efforts from various nonprofit groups working in and around Cleveland as well as Akron's new "Planting Change" campaign which hopes to plant 100,000 trees in the next 10 years.
Also on Thursday's program we will discuss the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine continues to hit close to home for many in Ohio. The state has the sixth largest population of people with Ukrainian ancestry in the U.S. with more than 40,000. Ohio has also helped to resettle more than 5,000 Ukrainians since the war began.
A massive U.S. aid package passed this week after months of delay by Congress. It will send $61 billion to Ukraine to help in the war that has killed more than 30,000 Ukrainian military, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He also estimated the loss of tens of thousands of civilians as of February.
We will talk with Ohio native and United States Agency for International Development Deputy Administrator Mark Simakovsky. He is in town to talk to members of the Ukrainian community about what the U.S. is doing to help provide humanitarian assistance to people who have been displaced or impacted by the war.
USAID is an independent federal agency.
GUESTS:
- Christina Yoka, Chief of Air Pollution Outreach, Cleveland Department of Public Health
- Tom Scheiber, Manager of Community Forestry, Western Reserve Land Conservancy
- Beth Vild, COO and Director of Programming, Big Love Network
- Mark Simakovsky, Deputy Assistant Administrator, USAID
