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IN THE SUMMER OF 1997, CONCERNED ABOUT STEADILY INCREASING asthma rates in the Hunts Point section of the Bronx, a group of young adult volunteers from a community-based organization called The Point decided to do some research. Knowing that trees help reduce air pollution, these young activists set out to count the trees in their neighborhood. The results of their research were startling: Hunts Point had only one tree per acre. Just as startling was the powerful impact of this modest survey. By presenting "hard numbers" to the City Council and private foundations, Hunts Point advocates won the planting of 1,000 new trees, a visible step toward revitalization of the community.' Prior to the survey, Hunts Point's barren landscape had been readily apparent. But until conditions were documented, quantified, and presented to policy makers, no one was moved to act. By research standards, the Hunts Point survey would have to be dismissed as exceedingly simple. But this example illustrates how members of distressed communities can document problems themselves and use limited data to bring about corrective action.

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