Urban & Community
Forestry
2015 Current Issue
Pennsylvania Envirothon
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Introduction
 The value of trees in our community is often
overlooked but trees make human habitats
more livable.
 Often we go about our days, and don’t stop to
think about how trees soften the many harsh
aspects of our built environment.
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Key Topics:
 What is sustainable urban/community forestry
and why is it important?
 What are the benefits of urban/community
forests to society?
 What are the costs associated with
urban/community forestry?
 What is an urban forest plan and why is it an
essential tool?
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Urban Forestry…
 Refers to all publicly and privately owned
trees within an urban area, including:
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Trees along streets
Trees in backyards
Urban parks
Landscaped boulevards
Public gardens
Greenways
Nature preserves
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Urban/Community Forestry is…
 the management of trees for their contribution
to the physiological, sociological, and
economic well being of the urban society.
 the art, science, and technology of managing
trees, forests, and natural systems in and
around cities, suburbs, and towns for the
health and well-being of all people.
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Urban/Community Forestry…
 Involves: selection, planting, maintenance of
all trees and landscapes in an urbanized
area.
 Is a well planned, coordinated program
 Involves a partnership among federal and
state governmental agencies, private sector
companies, organizations, and the public.
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Benefits of Urban and
Community Forests
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Economic Benefits
 Attracts businesses and tourists
 Higher occupancy rates
 Higher property values
 Lower crime rates
 Good investment for their return
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Economic Benefits
 Saves energy
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Cooling in hotter months
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Can reduce air conditioning by 30%
Wind barrier during winter
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Can reduce heating by 20 to 50%
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Environmental Benefits
 Sustains long-term environmental
 Moderates the effects of harsh weather
 Improves air quality
 Reduces noise pollution
 Improves water quality
 Reduces runoff and erosion
 Filters stormwater and reduces flooding
 Reduces wind erosion of soil
 Provides habitat for birds and wildlife
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Community Benefits
 Safeguard pedestrians from traffic
 Provides screening and privacy
 Reduces noise pollution
 Reduces glare on sunny days
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Aesthetic Benefits
 Trees add beauty and peace
 Trees contribute positively to our quality of life
 Trees can serve as a source of community
pride
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Health Benefits
 Creates feelings of relaxation and well-being
 Provides privacy and sense of solitude and
security
 Creates recreational areas for walkers,
runners, cyclists, and more
 Improves attention
 Improves physical and mental health
 Decreases asthma and obesity
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Improvements in Air Quality
 Absorbs and reduces airborne pollutants
 Stores millions of tons of carbon
 Lower air temperatures - “cooling effect” of
trees – in turn reduces carbon emissions from
building energy use and other sources
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Improvements in Water Quality
 Reduces rate and volume of storm-water
runoff
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Absorbs some of the nutrients in the soil
 Helps prevent raw sewage spillover
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Trees, vegetation, and wetlands can help
prevent flooding of sewage treatment facilities.
 Limits soil erosion by helping control storm-
water flow.
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Threats to Urban/Community
Forests
 Insects and diseases, (i.e., gypsy moth,
emerald ash borer, fungi that cause Dutch
elm disease, chestnut blight,)
 Wildfire/fire
 Natural catastrophic events
 Invasive species
 Development
 Climate change
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Why should my community do a
tree inventory?
 To determine the need for a community
program
 To prioritize maintenance schedules
 To educate the public and residents and
promote the program
 To facilitate the planning
 To provide the basis for the development of a
comprehensive management plan
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Why should my community have a
management plan?
 Increased Public Safety
 Increased Efficiency
 Facilitate Short- And Long-Term Planning
 Justify Budgets
 Documentation
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Management Plan Components
 Tree Inventories
 Tree Inventory and Mapping Data
Management Software
 Tree Risk Reduction Plan/Emergency Storm
Response
 Tree Board or Advisory Council Development
 Public Relations and Education
 Urban Forest Cost/Benefit Analysis
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What is a Tree Inventory?
 Statistically reliable survey of publicly owned
and managed trees, used to determine:
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Location and the exact or estimated
measurements of:
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Quantity and Quality
Health and trends of the urban forest
Description of other urban forest attributes:
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Potential planting sites,
Utilities present
Hardscape features
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Tree Inventories
 Types
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Windshield Surveys
Statistical Sample Inventories
Partial Inventories
Complete Inventories
Using and Managing the Inventory Data
Inventory Data Analysis
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Population Characteristics
Maintenance and Planting Programs
Insect and Disease Threats and Control
Budgets
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Tree Risk Reduction Plan/
Emergency Storm Response Plan
 Risk Reduction plans include:
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Clearing leaves and woody debris from gutters
and storm drains
Sidewalk, street, and building clearance
standards
Line-of-sight conflicts for street and safety
signage
Blockage of street lamps and traffic lights
Conflicts with overhead and underground
utilities
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Tree Risk Reduction Plan/
Emergency Storm Response Plan
 Emergency Storm Response:
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Collecting and disposing of debris produced
by catastrophic disasters, such as tornadoes,
ice storms, hurricanes, and severe winds
Managing increased:
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Threats to life from hanging limbs and uprooted
trees
Hindrance to life-saving efforts by blocked streets
and driveways
Power outages and power restoration efforts
Personal and public property damage
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Tree Board or Advisory Council
Development
 Can provide a number of services, including:
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Educate the citizens at large
Interact with elected officials
Assist with maintenance tasks (small tree
maintenance, mulching, planting, watering)
Generate private financial donations and apply
for grants
 They serve in an advisory capacity only
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Public Relations and Education
 Have a computerized tree inventory and
urban forest management plan accessible by
the public – print hardcopy or on a website
 Other actions may include:
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Public meetings and/or seminars
Monthly tree-related articles for the newspaper
Letters to residents announcing tree
maintenance or planting projects
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Urban Forest Cost/Benefit Analysis
 Trees growing in any community are valuable
municipal resources.
 They provide tangible and intangible benefits
for diverse services such as: Pollution control,
Energy reduction, Storm water management, Property values,
Wildlife habitat, Education, Aesthetics.
 Benefits once considered unquantifiable, now
can be calculated using models contained in
i-Tree software and current tree inventory
information.
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Urban Forest Cost/Benefit Analysis
 Benefits to the public works manager:
 Obtaining economic evaluations for street trees to
assess management program
 Justification for funding and performing strategic
planning
 Gaining more public support
 Determining the annual amount of pollution
removed by the urban forest, the amount of
carbon sequestered, the amount of energy
consumption reductions, and estimated increases
in property values and aesthetics
Models and Tools
 i-Tree – Suite of software tools to help users
identify and manage the structure, function,
and value of urban tree populations.
 Leafsnap
 Forest Service Web sites - U.S. Forest
Service, State forestry agencies, etc.
 Arbor Day Foundation
 Tree City U.S.A.
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Thank you for your learning about
Urban and Community Forestry!
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