Ecological functions and human benefits of urban forests |
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| Affiliation: | 1. University of North Carolina Wilmington, Department of Environmental Sciences, 601 South College Rd., Wilmington, NC 28403, USA;2. North Carolina State University, Department of Forestry, Forest Soils, Watershed, and Wetlands Hydrology, 121 Peele Hall, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA;1. Department of Agrobioengineering, University of life Sciences in Lublin, Poland, ul. Akademicka 15, 20-950 Lublin, Poland;2. École Nationale Supérieure Agronomique de Toulouse, France, Avenue de l′Agrobiopole BP 32607, Auzeville-Tolosane, 31326 Castanet-Tolosan Cedex, France;1. Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Switzerland;2. Lucerne School of Social Work, Switzerland;1. University of Hradec Králové, Faculty of Science, Rokitanského 62, CZ-500 03 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic;2. Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Kamýcká 1176, CZ-165 21, Czech Republic;1. Michigan State University, Department of Horticulture, 1066 Bogue Street, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA;2. Michigan State University, Department of Geography, Environment, and Spatial Sciences, 673 Auditorium Road, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA;3. Michigan State University, Department of Forestry, 480 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA;1. Biodiversity and Landscape, TERRA Research Centre, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Gembloux 5030, Belgium;2. Plants and Ecosystems, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk 2610, Belgium |
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| Abstract: | The recent sprawl of urbanization in the Eastern U.S. perpetuated by population growth and economic success has caused landscapes to become vulnerable to degradation. As urban development encroaches on such landscapes, various anthropogenic stressors are introduced including air pollution, land conversion, and alterations in watershed hydrology. Across various disciplines, urban forests have been presented as a method to ameliorate human and environmental health in metropolitan environments. Understanding how to incorporate urban forestry into city design is critical and urban planners would benefit from a review that holistically describes the diverse set of services urban forests have to offer. We conducted a review to highlight the ecological functions and human benefits of urban forests and to identify gaps in the literature. We synthesized the findings of research studies in the last 20 years to illuminate the human, abiotic, and biotic services of urban forestry. As environmental quality is rapidly deteriorating in anthropogenic environments, our findings suggest city planners should consider trees as a method of mitigation to alleviate these impacts. Ultimately, when managing urban forests, an interdisciplinary approach involving all levels of governance is necessary to ensure the maximum potential of urban trees. Through this study, the consolidated research can aid in sustainable development and innovation to combat the anthropogenic stressors associated with the sprawl of urbanization. |
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| Keywords: | Abiotic Biotic Ecosystem Forestry Services Trees |
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