Community and Urban Forestry

The Benefits of Trees

Drew Hart

US Forest Service

Community and Urban Forestry

Chicago Region

What exactly is the

Urban Forest?

Forest Preserves/Natural Areas

Trees on private property

Street Trees

Buffer Trees/Shelter Belts

Trees in Parks

What is Urban and

Community Forestry?

• Focus on trees and forests in

urban and rural communities

where people live, work, play

• Multi-disciplinary: plant and

soil science, ecology,

economics, horticulture,

forestry, planning, public

policy, research, landscape

architecture, sociology

Benefits of Trees

Economic, Environmental, and Social

Environmental Benefits

of Urban Trees

Mitigating the Urban Heat

Island Effect-Trees as air conditioners

• Mature tree

canopy

reduces air

temperatures

by 5-10˚F.

• This

influences

the internal

temperatures of

nearby

buildings.

• US urban trees remove

711,000 metric tons of air

pollution per year.

• They filter particulate matter

which is bad for the lungs.

• Strategies for using trees to

improve air quality include:

• Plant long-lived, pollution tolerant, low maintenance species.

• Plant trees along transportation corridors.

• Plant evergreens for year-round removal of PM.

Cleaning the air

• Rainwater storm drains = does

not filter down to replenish

aquifers – also takes road and

other surface pollutants with it.

• Runoff can erode soil.

• Urban forest can reduce annual

stormwater runoff by 2–7%.

• Trees ‘catch’ rainwater on their leaves (interception).

• A mature tree can store 50-100 gallons of water during

large storms.

Trapping stormwater runoff

and preventing soil erosion

Phyto-remediation* +

Dendro-remediation

*Phyto = plant; Remediation = the process of fixing (remedying) a problem

Phytoremediation = the process of using plants to fix a problem (pollution)

• Roots can take up

contaminants in

groundwater and soil.

• Leaves can break down

contaminants into less

harmful substances.

• Heavy contaminants can

be stored in roots, leaves,

branches.

Economic Benefits of

Urban Trees

• Trees can be used effectively to

shade air conditioners, windows,

or walls.

• Tree shade helps extend the life

of pavement, reducing the need

for street maintenance and

repaving.

• Trees around buildings acting as

windbreaks can save $ on winter

heating costs.

Shade = $$$

• Trees increased home sales prices

in Athens, GA $1475 - $1750

(annual increase of $100,000 in the

city’s property tax).

• In Minnesota, 10% increase in tree

cover within 100 m increases

average home sale price by $1371.

Property Values

• In tree-lined commercial districts...

– More frequent

shopping

– Longer shopping

trips

– Shoppers spend

more for parking

• Shoppers spend

12% more in areas

with trees and landscaping

Trees are Good for Business

Trees Pay Us Back

Benefits = $272,000

Energy

Air Quality

Runoff

Real Estate

100 Trees Over 40 Years...

Costs = $136,000

Planting - Pruning

Removal/Disposal

Irrigation

Sidewalk Repair

Litter

Pay Off: $136,000

McPherson, E.G., J.R. Simpson, P.J. Peper, S.E. Maco, S.L. Gardner, S.K. Cozad and Q. Xiao. 2005.

Midwest community tree guide: benefits, costs and strategic planting. Davis, CA: Center for Urban

Forest Research, Pacific Southwest Research Station, USDA Forest Service. 82.

Social Benefits of

Urban Trees

Ulrich study of hospital patientsPatients with green view stayed less time

in the hospital,

requested less pain medication, and

had more positive attitude.

Follow up study showed

that heart patients felt less anxiety

and needed less medication

after they viewed photos of

nature scenes with trees and water.

Health Benefits

Kids with a green view

concentrate better

• Sullivan and Kuo study on green

views and kids with ADHD

– Kids suffer the worst symptoms when

they are indoors.

– Playing outside on a paved area

decreases symptoms of ADHD.

– Playing outdoors in a green area

alleviates symptoms even more.

• Companion study on girls’ school

performance

– The greener the view, the better they

do.

Additional Benefits

• Trees help create walkable

communities.

• Mid-block trees on a traffic

island can help calm traffic.

• Trees can separate incompatible

uses (like transportation and

recreation), and act as a noise barrier.

• Tree planting and greening can help foster a sense of

pride in the community.

• Provide habitat for wildlife.

Tools and Resources available

for Urban Forestry efforts

Parcel Census Neighborhood City Watershed

• Founded in 1963, mission to protect

the natural places and open spaces

of the region

• Focus on greenways, land

preservation, community greening,

environmental policy, and teaching

• TreeKeepers, GardenKeepers,

coordinate volunteers

Chicago Region Trees

Initiative

• Chicago region partners

working together to develop

and implement a strategy

toward a healthier and more

diverse urban forest

• Develop collaborative

management strategies

• Measure improvements

• Build public awareness and

support

• Community Trees Program: Helps communities, public and

private landowners, land managers, tree professionals and

groups interested in trees manage and care for our urban and

community forest.

• Review or develop ordinances to protect trees

• Tree science and urban forestry research

• Seven-county Tree Census

done in 2010

– Estimated trees: 157,142,000

– Measures sizes, ID species

US Forest Service Urban

& Community Forestry

1950s and 60s: Dutch Elm Disease devastates America's urban

forests – elm population is virtually wiped out.

1968: Urban forestry officially recognized as field of study in

forestry schools in the U.S.

USFS Urban and Community Forestry program

• Provides technical, financial, research, education

• Works with local governments, non profits, community

groups, schools, and tribal governments

• Mission: “Sustain the trees and forests where people live,

work and play.”

http://www.fs.fed.us/ucf/

Illinois Urban & Community

Forestry Program

• Focus on planning, planting, maintenance and management

of IL trees and forest ecosystems

• Help communities with TreeCityUSA certification

– Designate an individual or a group to care for

the urban forest

– Tree care ordinance

– Minimum annual expenditure of $2 per capita

– Arbor Day proclamation & public tree planting

• U&CF Assistance Program provides grants for creating,

enhancing and developing urban forestry programs.

Alliance for Community Trees

Arbor Day Foundation

Special Thanks to Cherie LaBlanc Fisher and

Lynne Westphal, social scientists with the US

Forest Service, Northern Research Station,

Evanston, Illinois for their contributions to urban

forestry.

And THANK YOU for joining the elite group of

people who care about our urban forest!

TreeKeepers 26 Years!