Urban Natural Resources Stewardship
According to the 2010 U.S. Census, more than 80 percent of the U.S. population now lives in
metropolitan areas. Improving the sustainability and livability of our cities and surrounding
suburbs is a long-term challenge and goal as the nation’s population becomes increasingly
urban. Forest Service Research and Development (FS R&D) provides leading science and new
technology that improves environmental health and community well-being in urban areas. Our
research informs decision-making that achieves sustainable solutions as urban areas develop
and expand, and as city leaders take a renewed interest in revitalizing the urban core.
Critical areas of FS research include: urban forest structure and effects modeling; urban
ecosystem health; urban watershed conservation and rehabilitation; ecosystem services values;
urban wood utilization; human perceptions, health, and well-being; and patterns of land-use,
climate, and tree canopy change.
Recent FS R&D accomplishments include:
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Forest Service scientists completed U.S. land cover and urban forestry reports on a stateby-state basis, detailing population trends, land cover change, tree canopy and
impervious surface cover, and urban tree benefits.
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FS R&D continues to develop the i-Tree software suite, an internationally recognized
application tool for valuing urban tree benefits. i-Tree is now used in over 100 countries
with distribution increasing globally at 25% per year.
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In FY2013, the Forest Service launched Stewardship Mapping and Assessment Project
(STEW-MAP) for Philadelphia. The Forest Service’s STEW-MAP is an online tool that
helps people locate environmental stewardship organizations, partnerships, and
opportunities in their city and can be used to address environmental justice issues.
STEW-MAP was first developed for New York City and is now available for Chicago,
Baltimore, and Seattle.
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Forest Service scientists participated in a national, federal effort to assess Hurricane
Sandy and provided recommendations to the Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, Forest Service scientists in New York are studying
the unique potential of community greening and environmental stewardship to promote
social and ecological recovery.
In FY 2015, Forest Service R&D will direct research efforts at the municipal level to provide
new information and tools to help in sustainability planning. This effort involves initiating
urban forest inventory work and advancing long-term, place-based, collaborative urban forestrelated research in a number of cities throughout the U.S.
For more information on FS urban research: www.fs.fed.us/research/urban-stewardship