Urban Watershed Forestry

Forest-Friendly Development

What is Forest Friendly Development? Each year, over 1.5 million acres of land in the U.S. is developed. Conversion of rural land to urban and suburban uses often results in significant forest loss, particularly where mass clearing is a standard practice at construction sites. The Forest Service estimates that nearly 1 million acres of forest were converted to developed uses each year in the 1990s, and projects that by 2050, an additional 23 million acres of forests may be lost due to development. Municipalities and developers in urbanizing areas can take steps to protect existing forest resources and prevent forest loss [...]

admin2022-03-01T08:24:57-05:00August 6th, 2015|

Forests and Drinking Water

Forests capture rainfall and replenish and cleanse our water supply. Although these ecological services provided by forests are widely accepted in the scientific community, they have not really been translated into the language that most often drives planning and land use decisions at the local level: dollars. Local government officials often make tough decisions about growth at the expense of natural resource conservation, and they must make these decisions without the benefit of economic data that measures the true costs of development and values of natural resources. For decades, technology has replaced, to some extent, the services provided by forests [...]

admin2020-03-19T09:58:45-04:00August 6th, 2015|

Urban Watershed Forestry

What is Urban Watershed Forestry? Urban watershed forestry is an integration of the fields of urban and community forestry and watershed planning. Urban and community forestry is the management of the urban forest for environmental, community, and economic benefits, while watershed planning promotes sound land use and resource management to improve water resources within a watershed. This integration of urban forestry techniques into urban watershed planning acknowledges the importance of trees and forests in protecting water resources. The urban watershed forestry approach sets watershed-based goals for managing the urban forest as a whole rather than managing forest resources on a [...]

admin2020-02-10T10:02:26-05:00August 6th, 2015|

Urban Tree Canopy

What is Urban Tree Canopy? Urban tree canopy (UTC) is the layer of leaves, branches, and stems of trees that cover the ground when viewed from above. In urban areas, the UTC provides an important stormwater management function by intercepting rainfall that would otherwise run off of paved surfaces and be transported into local waters though the storm drainage system, picking up various pollutants along the way. UTC also reduces the urban heat island effect, reduces heating/cooling costs, lowers air temperatures, reduces air pollution, increases property values, provides wildlife habitat, and provides aesthetic and community benefits such as improved quality [...]

admin2021-02-04T12:44:38-05:00July 31st, 2015|

Forest Planning and Assessment

Why Plan for Forest Management? Human activities have dramatically altered the landscape of the U.S over the past 400 years. While conversion of forest land for agricultural use was a primary cause of forest loss over this time period, the rate of forest conversion for urban uses has greatly increased more recently, reinforcing the need for greater integration of forest and land use planning. American Forests estimates that tree cover in urban areas east of the Mississippi has declined by about 30% over the last 20 years, while the footprint of urban areas has increased by 20%. In fact, tree [...]

admin2017-09-22T11:55:09-04:00July 31st, 2015|

Center Receives National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council Grant

June 26, 2014 Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the 2014 USDA Forest Service’s National Urban and Community Forestry Challenge grant recipients. The grants provide funding that will help enhance urban forest stewardship, support new employment opportunities, and help build resilience in the face of a changing climate. Close to 80 percent of the U.S. population lives in urban areas and depends on the essential ecological, economic, and social benefits provided by urban trees and forests. Climate and extreme weather events pose threats to urban trees and forests requiring increased investment in management, restoration and stewardship. In the United States [...]

admin2017-09-27T06:51:58-04:00June 26th, 2014|