Community Stewardship of Urban Forest Futures

Community Stewardship of Urban Forest Futures:

Much focus is given to new city-scale projects to enhance and develop urban forestry, and utilize the most cutting edge designs in green infrastructure. Though the benefits reaped by the inhabitants and community members are often noted, there is a large opportunity to support what infrastructure has begun, and this opportunity starts at the individual level.

What needs to be developed just as much as the re-designing of past urban forestry projects is the sense of stewardship and personal ownership of the local forestry and environment we each inhabit.
Lindsay K Campbell, a research social scientist with the USDA Forest Service, recently stated in a personal blog, “How can we cultivate attachment and stewardship but also allow attachment to inform management, decision-making, and priority-setting? What would it look like to grow a forest that is rooted in these community relations all along the way?”

With this personal ownership, comes the challenge of finding ways to expand on what is presently placed into two categories: sparse individual experiences, like caring for the forestry outside an individual’s apartment, and far-reaching, but finite community volunteer events, usually lasting a day or weekend at most.

What happens after those trees or gardens are planted?

A beginning solution is the creation, participation, and effective momentum of local “greening communities”, as put by the Arbor Day Foundation.

Tree City USA is a framework created and monitored by the Arbor Day Foundation, which has created a framework for action from which communities can establish community forestry management.In order to achieve and maintain active status, these cities must be, “maintaining a tree board or department, having a community tree ordinance, spending at least $2 per capita on urban forestry and celebrating Arbor Day.”

The result as of 2015 is over 3,400 communities, and 135 million Americans living in these stewarded areas. With effective framework, education, and a sense of pride and ownership, successful urban landscapes are looking forward to a green, well cared for future in conjunction with the advancement in design and infrastructure provided by the governing and civic bodies.

2015 Urban Forestry Efforts Grow Strong in New York State

 2015 Urban Forestry Efforts Grow Strong in New York State:

New York state wastes no time in establishing its plans to continue urban forestry planning and projects for 2015. Close to $930,000 in urban forestry grants have been recently awarded to communities across the state thus far, as announced by Commissioner Joe Martens for the State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), by press release January 14th.

These funds will allow 40 communities within the state enhance their urban forestry, as well as safeguard the quality of air, water and natural resources. These local communities are given opportunities on an annual basis to apply for grants, which are then reviewed and awarded by the USDA Forest Service and the NYS DEC Urban Forestry Program.

Once awarded by the DEC, the funds are allocated to Arbor day events, community run forestry programs, and educational opportunities. Technical assistance is also offered to these communities through the local DEC urban foresters and ReLeaf volunteers.

“Urban forestry programs are vital to creating a vibrant environment that provides clean air, clean water, energy savings, robust habitats and a high quality of life for New Yorkers,” Martens said.

Especially in highly concentrated urban areas like New York, there are additional stressors like pollutants, limited root space, and improper pruning that can inhibit the flourishing of the community forests. By actively managing these factors, we protect these valuable resources and preserve the resulting benefits.

In February 2015, The NYS Urban Forestry Council will host a forestry awareness day in Albany, New York. (https://www.nysurbanforestrycouncil.com/calendar.asp)

The goal of this organized effort is to provide a chance to collaborate with and educate state legislators about key issues in urban and community forestry efforts, including the development of local tree inventory, management plans, and the establishment of Tree Boards across communities and neighborhoods.

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