The city of Detroit has a lot of concrete streets, slabs of road and old industrial buildings. 

But green spaces like Palmer Park provide an outlet to connect with nature. The park is home to one of the city’s old growth forests with diverse plant and animal life. 

And it’s just one of many spaces in Detroit hosting Earth Day celebrations and events this week to inspire environmental awareness and encourage community involvement.

On Sunday, the park will host Art in the Trees, an outdoor art exhibition among the trees in Palmer Park’s old growth forest featuring large-scale sculptures, music, activities and more.

Event organizer Mark Loeb joined The Metro on Earth Day to share more about the event.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

More stories from The Metro on Tuesday, April 22:

• Detroit’s Pope Francis Center leader reflects on late pontiff’s legacy
• WDET is ‘rooting’ itself in local environmental reporting with tree canopy project
• Detroit Public Library is ready to help in many ways
• Michigan ends mandatory life sentences for 19 and 20-year-olds convicted of murder

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

More stories from The Metro

WDET is embarking on a new project exploring the multifaceted relationship between trees and community health in Michigan.

Amanda Le Claire, lead reporter and managing editor of the tree project, joined The Metro on Earth Day to talk about Detroit’s tree canopy and some of the most recent stories produced by the WDET newsroom.

Le Claire also shared a conversation she had with Andrew “Birch” Kemp, executive director of Arboretum Detroit, about a community forest restoration project on Detroit’s east side.

Studies have shown that urban tree canopies help make communities more climate resilient, reduce air pollution, and combat the urban heat island effect — exposing residents to higher risks of heat-related illness and higher cooling costs. 

The tree canopy project will dig into all of these topics and more over 24 months of reporting.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

–WDET’s Jenny Sherman contributed to this report.

More stories from The Metro on Tuesday, April 22:

• Detroit’s Pope Francis Center leader reflects on late pontiff’s legacy
• Enjoy ‘Art in the Trees’ at Palmer Park in celebration of Earth Day
• Detroit Public Library is ready to help in many ways
• Michigan ends mandatory life sentences for 19 and 20-year-olds convicted of murder

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

More stories from The Metro

Southeast Michigan’s trees are facing growing threats from disease, pests, and climate change.

Zach Lacombe with Davey Tree Expert Company in Canton, says tree health issues are on the rise, affecting both residential and urban landscapes. Fungal infections, extreme weather, and environmental stressors are making trees more vulnerable than ever.

Common Tree Diseases in Michigan

Local trees are particularly susceptible to three major infections:

• Apple Scab – A fungal disease that weakens apple and crabapple trees, causing leaf loss and reducing their ability to absorb sunlight.
• Oak Wilt – A deadly vascular infection that spreads through beetles and root grafts, cutting off water and nutrients to oak trees.
• Dutch Elm Disease (DED) – A persistent fungal disease that has devastated American elm populations in Michigan for over a century.

“These infections often go unnoticed until it’s too late,” says Lacombe. He says thinning foliage, premature leaf drop, and unusual discoloration can all be warning signs of tree disease. 

Rising temperatures and shifting weather patterns are also increasing the spread of tree pests and diseases, according to Lacombe. 

Milder winters mean fewer insect die-offs, allowing pests like the picnic beetle (which spreads oak wilt) to thrive. Stronger storms and heavy rainfall can cause tree root damage, increased fungal growth, and weakened trees. Road salt runoff forces trees to release moisture from their leaves, leading to drought stress and weakened defenses.

Preventative care and early intervention can go a long way, Lacombe advises.