Connecting People With Ecosystems in the 21st Century: An Assesment of Our Nation's Urban Forests

Urban areas (cities, towns, villages, etc.) cover 3.5 percent of the 48 conterminousstates and contain more than 75 percent of the population. In urban areas, about 3.8billion trees cover 27.1 percent of the land. On a broader scale, metropolitan areas(urban counties) cover 24.5 percent of the conterminous United States and contain74.4 billion trees that cover 33.4 percent of these counties. Between 1950 and 1990,metropolitan areas nearly tripled in size; urban areas doubled in size over the past 20to 25 years.This report is the first national assessment of urban forest resources in the UnitedStates and details variations in urbanization and urban tree cover across the UnitedStates by state, county, and individual urban area. It illustrates local-scale variation,complexity, and connectedness of the urban forest resource and how this resourcechanges through time in response to a wide range of powerful forces. The report concludesby outlining future areas of emphasis that will facilitate comprehensive, adaptive,and sustainable urban forest management and improve environmental quality,enhance human health, and connect people with ecosystems in the 21st century.

Keywords: Research

Pages: 483

Publisher: USDA Forest Service

Category: Reports

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