S1E2 - Green Heart: Dr. Ray Yeager on Trees, Public Health, and the Future of Cities

What if planting trees could improve public health at the neighborhood scale?In this episode of Stories of Trees, host Stacy Whittle talks with Dr. Ray Yeager, a health geographer at the University of Louisville whose work explores the links between place, environment, and human health. Ray explains how urban trees affect everything from air quality and heat exposure to stress, inflammation, and long-term health outcomes.The conversation centers on the groundbreaking Green Heart Project in Louisville, Kentucky, where researchers have planted thousands of trees across neighborhoods and are now studying how these changes affect residents over time. Ray also explains why the placement and design of urban tree plantings matter just as much as the trees themselves.This episode offers a hopeful and science-driven look at how greener cities can create healthier communities.Topics CoveredHealth geography and environmental health.The Green Heart Project.Urban tree planting strategies.Air pollution, noise, and heat reduction.Trees and inflammation research.Careers in science and sustainability.