T HE I MPORTANCE AND B ENEFITS

OF THE U RBAN F OREST

RLUAC A REA
 W HAT IS THE U RBAN F OREST ?

 Trees in the urban environment:

 Individual trees (street trees, planters, lawn trees)

 Groups of trees (parks, remnants of developed

woodland)

 Wooded acreage (undeveloped land, greenways, parks,

private lands)

Joseph O'Brien, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
W HERE IS T HIS S TREET ?

Photo: Georgia Forestry Commission

T REES C ERTAINLY S PRUCE
T HINGS U P !
I T ’ S M ORE T HAN J UST B EING
P RETTY
B ENEFITS OF U RBAN TREES

 Economic

 Environmental

 Social and Behavioral
E CONOMIC B ENEFITS
R ETAIL

Most inviting
 E CONOMIC B ENEFITS
R ESIDENTIAL P ROPERTY VALUES
 E CONOMIC B ENEFITS
C OMMERCIAL P ROPERTY O CCUPANCY
E NVIRONMENTAL B ENEFITS
S HADE
 E NVIRONMENTAL B ENEFITS
C OMBAT U RBAN H EAT -I SLAND E FFECT
 E NVIRONMENTAL B ENEFITS
S HADE = L OWER C OOLING C OSTS
With a tree Without a tree
 E NVIRONMENTAL B ENEFITS
I MPROVED A IR Q UALITY

 Trees trap and absorb 
airborne dirt and 
chemical particles

 CO2 is absorbed and the 
carbon is stored
E NVIRONMENTAL B ENEFITS
I MPROVED WATER Q UALITY

 Less stormwater runoff

 Less erosion and sedimentation

 Reduced peak stormwater flows

 Less flooding

 Fewer storm sewers and flood 
easements needed

 Groundwater recharge
 E NVIRONMENTAL B ENEFITS
I NCREASED W ILDLIFE H ABITAT

 Diversity in vegetation 
promotes wildlife diversity

Terry L Spivey, Terry Spivey Photography, Bugwood.org
 Native vegetation supports 
native wildlife

 Backyard wildlife 
popularity

 Shaded streams regulate 
water temperatures
 E NVIRONMENTAL B ENEFITS
I MPACTS OF T REE C ANOPY L OSS

Higher temperatures

Increased incidents of flooding

Decreased air quality

E NVIRONMENTAL B ENEFITS
I MPACTS OF T REE C ANOPY L OSS
E NVIRONMENTAL B ENEFITS
I MPACTS OF T REE C ANOPY L OSS
S OCIAL AND B EHAVIORAL B ENEFITS
S OCIAL AND B EHAVIORAL B ENEFITS
T REES AND C OMMUNITIES

 Outdoor spaces with trees are used more often than 
barren spaces
 Increase social interaction 
 Higher levels of social cohesion among neighbors 
 Increase sense of safety
 Stronger neighborhood ties – more physically & 
mentally healthy
S OCIAL AND B EHAVIORAL B ENEFITS
T REES AND P UBLIC H EALTH

 Reduces time in the hospital  

 Relieves stress 

 Improves air quality

 Improves water quality

 Increases some allergies
S OCIAL AND B EHAVIORAL B ENEFITS
B UFFERS AND S CREENING

 Trees absorb and deflect sound energy

 Act as noise buffers/barriers

 Buffer/hide unwanted views

 Direct vehicle or pedestrian traffic

 Reduce glare
S OCIAL AND B EHAVIORAL B ENEFITS
C OMMUNITY P RIDE

 Community image or 
identity

 Sense of place

 New business/visitor 
promotion

 Downtown revitalization

 Tree City USA®
 S OCIAL AND B EHAVIORAL B ENEFITS
C OMMUNITY P RIDE

 Nine Tree City USA® Communities in RLUAC area
 Fayetteville, Fort Bragg, Laurinburg, Maxton, Pinehurst, 
Pope AFB, Red Springs, St. Pauls, and Southern Pines
 Communities with tree themed nicknames

 Fayetteville – City of Dogwoods

 Angier – Town of Crepe Myrtles

 Communities with tree names

 Linden , Pinebluff, Pinehurst, Pineview, Southern Pines, Whispering 
Pines
 S OCIAL AND B EHAVIORAL B ENEFITS
I NSPIRATIONAL VALUE
ees because they seem more resigned to the way they have to live 
her things do.  Willa Cather (1873‐1947), O Pioneers 1913

Knowing trees, I understand the meaning of patience. Knowing grass, I 
can appreciate persistence.  Hal Borland, Countryman: A Summary of Belief

k that I shall never see a poem lovely as a tree… Joyce Kilmer (1886‐1918), Trees

ople who will not sustain trees will soon live in a world that will not sustain people.  
ce Nelson 

Acts of creation are ordinarily reserved for gods and poets.  To plant a pine, 
one need only own a shovel.  Aldo Leopold
 B ENEFITS OF U RBAN T REES
B ENEFITS AND C OSTS
Benefits Costs
 Cooling  Planting
 Pruning
 Heating
 Mulch
 CO2 Absorption  Removal and Disposal
 Pest Control
 Air Quality
 Infrastructure Repairs
 Water Quality  Irrigation
 Aesthetics  Clean‐up
 Contribute VOC
 Property Values  Legal and Liability
 Inspections
 B ENEFITS OF U RBAN T REES
N ET B ENEFITS

40 year average of net benefits
large tree medium tree small tree conifer

tree: West $ 91.63 $ 34.63 $ 17.88 $ 43.00

tree: South $ 82.88 $ 22.63 $ 11.25 $ 31.00

tree: East $ 87.63 $ 29.63 $ 14.25 $ 38.88

ic tree $ 77.63 $ 23.00 $   6.25 $ 27.25

 B ENEFITS OF U RBAN T REES
N ET 40 B ENEFITS S UMMED
 $4,000
 $3,500
 $3,000
 $2,500
 $2,000
Yard tree: West
 $1,500 Public tree
 $1,000
 $500
 $‐
small tree medium large tree conifer
tree
 B ENEFITS OF U RBAN T REES
20 Y EARS G ROWTH IN D ESERT S OUTHWEST

Monthan AFB, AZ

nopy – 8%
42%
water Runoff Reduction – 5%
23%
er Energy Savings ‐ $7.78/home
$20.02/home
Sequestration – 0.45 tons/yr
2.40 tons/yr
 P LAN F OR THE U RBAN F OREST

 New parking lots designed to utilize trees
 P LAN F OR THE U RBAN F OREST

 Old parking lots retrofitted for trees
 P LAN F OR THE U RBAN F OREST

 Flexible set‐back requirements for older suburbs
 P LAN F OR THE U RBAN F OREST

 Planting the right tree in the right place in urban core 
areas and commercial districts
 P LAN F OR THE U RBAN F OREST

 Tree canopy provisions inserted into zoning 
requirements
 P LAN F OR THE U RBAN F OREST

 Plant freeway on and off ramps in trees instead of 
high maintenance grass

Photo: Texas Forest Service

 P LAN F OR THE U RBAN F OREST

 New parking lots designed to utilize trees

 Old parking lots retrofitted for trees

 Flexible set‐back requirements for older suburbs

 Planting the right tree in the right place in urban 
core areas and commercial districts
 Tree canopy provisions inserted into zoning 
requirements
 Plant freeway on and off ramps in trees instead of 
high maintenance grass
I NCREASE U RBAN T REE C ANOPY
I NCREASE U RBAN T REE C ANOPY

100%
764 764
% of total acres (7,565) in City

2,625 3,230
80%

60%
Water
2,746 Trees
40% 2,444
Meadow
Impervious
20%
1,430
1,127
0%
Current 8% Increase Tree
I NCREASE U RBAN T REE C ANOPY

350,000

300,000

250,000 115,179
lbs. Removed / yr

93,600 Particulates
200,000
31,674 SO2
150,000 25,740 28,795 NO2
23,400 O3
100,000
CO
132,456
50,000 107,640

0 4,680 5,759
Current 8% Increase Tree
T HE I MPORTANCE AND B ENEFITS
OF THE U RBAN F OREST
 Q UESTIONS ?

Contact information:
Alan Moore
Eastern Region Urban Forestry Specialist
Office (919)857‐4841