Planning The Urban Forest

Trees, especially as part of a regional or urban green ecosystem, help create a better quality of life. Urban forests act as green infrastructure that conserves natural ecosystems and sustains clean air and water. They reduce stormwater runoff, cool the urban heat island, reduce air pollution, and provide wildlife habitat. Communities can offset the ecological impact of land development by utilizing the urban forest's natural capacity to mitigate environmental impacts. Urban forests also provide social and health benefits for individuals, as well as economic benefits for communities.