Plant species selection and participatory community co-design are essential in balancing ecosystem services and disservices in urban areas

Balancing the benefits and disservices of urban green infrastructure is critical for sustainable city planning. While urban vegetation provides ecosystem services such as air quality improvement and heat reduction, it can also contribute to air pollution through the emission of biogenic volatile organic compounds, and pollen can exacerbate respiratory health issues and allergies within communities. Chicago’s environmental and health disparities make it a critical case for examining the complex interactions between urban vegetation and air quality. This paper evaluates how plant species selection and participatory community co-design can address these challenges, focusing on Humboldt Park, Chicago, IL, and Evanston, IL, as case studies. Community-driven initiatives, such as those led by the Puerto Rican Agenda in Humboldt Park, are essential in mitigating negative impacts on air quality through informed species selection. This approach ensures that urban greening strategies balance ecological benefits with improve air quality and prevents health disparities.