Chicago Urban Forestry

What are urban forests?

An urban forest is the interconnected network of trees on public and private properties that make up a community's green infrastructure. Urban trees provide many significant ecosystem services to human society by improving air quality, managing stormwater, and improving our mental and physical health. However, trees in urban forests are often at odds with their environment due to injury, disturbance, inadequate planting space, or lack of care. For these reasons, proper urban design and proactive management are required to ensure that trees thrive in urban spaces.

How are urban forests maintained?

Urban forestry maintenance includes the care for and management of a community's trees through planting, watering, pruning, and replacement, and can vary depending on the amount of publicly available funding. When urban forests are not adequately managed, ecosystem disservices can occur. Examples of ecosystem disserves caused by the mismanagement of urban trees are invasive species, pests, or disease, safety concerns, risk of damage to property or human life, and decreased property value. For this reason, under-resourced communities are sometimes aided by non-profit organizations that provide the resources necessary to plant, care for, and inventory city trees. Academic institutions also play a vital role in exploring the science behind humans and nature in an urban setting. Collaborations in urban forestry improve our understanding of urban green space dynamics as a whole.

Learn more about how urban forests are maintained by visiting Vibrant Cities Lab.

Interested in getting involved in Chicago forestry?