About the Urban Forest

What is the urban forest?
The urban forest includes all trees, vegetation, watersheds and wildlife in our community. Tree-lined roadways, open green spaces, undeveloped forests, parks and private and commercial lands are all part of the urban forest.

What is urban forestry?
Urban forestry is the management of all of these urban forest resources. Taking care of these resources benefits the environmental, social and economic well-being of our community.

What are the benefits of the urban forest?

• Trees make communities more liveable and attractive.
• One acre of healthy trees produces enough oxygen for 18 people per day.
• Tree canopies clean the air by producing oxygen and absorbing airborne particulates and pollutants, making communities healthier.
• In one year, an acre of trees absorbs the amount of carbon dioxide you produce when you drive your car 26,000 miles.
• Trees conserve our precious water resources by reducing runoff and helping prevent soil erosion.
• Trees decrease your energy costs. Trees placed strategically around a home or building can reduce heating and cooling costs from 10-50%.
• Trees increase property values. Building lots with trees routinely sell for 10% more than sites without trees
• Tree canopies reduce stormwater runoff by "catching" rain while the root systems enhance soil's ability to absorb water.
• Trees reduce noise pollution by absorbing and blocking urban noise.
• Trees can be a haven of wildlife and plant diversity in the midst of the city

Who cares for our urban forests?
We all do. Professionals such as urban foresters and certified arborists apply principles of forestry and arboriculture to the conservation and cultivation of trees and associated resources. If you have a tree question or need for advice or service, please . . be sure your first call is to a certified arborist.

Citizen volunteers, homeowners, government officials and community organizations work in partnership to develop tree protection ordinances, conduct tree inventories, develop management plans and inspect, prune and replant our urban forests.

Engineers, builders, planners and developers have many opportunities to ensure that development and redevelopment of urban lands include trees as components of urban infrastructure.

What are some examples of good urban forest management in Georgia?
The Georgia Forestry Commission has published the Model Urban Forest Book as a resource for communities that want to ensure urban forestry success. In addition, the Georgia Urban Forest Council has compiled a Summary Document of several examples from various communities that have applied the Model Urban Forest principles with good results.

Twelve years after a tree planting in Griffin . . . On December 7, 1991, volunteers of the non-profit Plant the Future, Inc. planted trees as memorials to friends and relatives in City Park, next to Griffin-Spalding Regional Hospital. Since 1989, Plant the Furture has planted more than 5000 trees on public land within the city of Griffin. The perspective of years is evident.