What is Meant by Urban Forestry? - What is an Urban Forest?

In its most uninteresting definition an urban forest is the sum of all woody and associated vegetation in and around dense human settlements, ranging from small communities in rural settings to metropolitan regions.

You don't find burly lumberjacks in hard hats with chain saws regularly cutting down trees in an urban forest. Urban forests can be those single trees amid tall skyscrapers that contribute to the beautification of our cities, but also contribute to the welfare of our environment.

National Urban Tree Deficit

In 1986, the National Urban Forest and Community Advisory Council (NUCFAC) conducted a survey to understand the condition of the nation’s street trees, based on a 20-city survey. The first, “State of Our City Forests” (American Forests Magazine June, 1986) reported that urban forests in those cities were in decline, with the average city losing 4 trees for every one planted.
In 1991, American Forests (formerly known as the American Forestry Association) conducted a follow up survey of 20 cities. The findings revealed the continued decline of city street trees, including the alarming statistic that the average life of a downtown street tree is just 13 years.

An estimated 634,407,719 trees are currently missing from metropolitan areas across the United States as the result of urban and suburban development. These calculations are based on American Forests' Urban Ecosystem Analyses conducted over the past six years in ten select cities. Using satellite imagery, American Forests has been able to document the decline of city trees in areas across the United States.

What’s an Urban Tree Worth?

In 2003, the Cedar Fire affected 28,466 acres of land within the San Diego city limits, about 13% of the entire city. Comparing pre- and post-fire conditions in the Cedar Fire area, American Forests reported a loss of 49% tree canopy and 73% each of chaparral and shrub. This loss in vegetation resulted in decreased ecosystem services: Within the Cedar Fire area, storm water runoff increased by 12,674,490 cubic feet. The value of retaining this additional storm water, replacing what the trees did for free, is estimated at $25,349,000. The ability of the lost canopy to remove air pollutants decreased by 314,870 pounds per year, a loss in value estimated at $798,000 annually.

The California Urban Forestry Act of 1978 recognized the value of trees in the urban environment and directs the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to manage them.

The San Diego County Cedar Fire in 2003 had a significant deleterious effect on air quality, water quality and storm water runoff.  These changes are described quantitatively in a report published by AmericanForests.org.

Advice and Technical Assistance Center ( ATAC) for Urban Forestry

ATAC is a program of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE)

To improve understanding of the importance of plants and trees in developed areas, the California Center for Sustainable Energy has established an Advice and Technical Assistance Center ( ATAC) for Urban Forestry. ATAC is a program of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) and funded by a $400,000 CAL FIRE grant to promote urban forestry and sustainable landscaping.

ATAC's main goal is to enable and facilitate a wide range of urban forestry projects in the San Diego region. ATAC is the central meeting place for people to learn both the how-to and best practices in urban landscaping. Through education, outreach and technical assistance, ATAC provides metrics for use by decision-makers and citizens alike when reaching to meet pressing water conservation and greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals under Assembly Bill 32 (The Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006) and the Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (IRWMP). The ATAC also offers public workshops, community events and a lending library.

The Advice and Technical Assistance Center ( ATAC) for Urban Forestry is THE central meeting place for people to learn both the “how to” and best practices for trees in urban landscaping. Through education, outreach and technical assistance, ATAC will provide information for decision-makers and citizens alike. ATAC's action will assist in reaching pressing water conservation and greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals under Assembly Bill 32 (The Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006) and the Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) Program.