Forest Research: Open Access
Open Access

Perspective on Urban Forestry

Michel Billiard^{* *}Correspondence: Michel Billiard, Department of Geography, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom, Email:

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Description

The maintenance and management of trees and tree populations in urban environments with the goal of improving the urban environment is known as urban forestry. Urban forestry involves planning and management, as well as the scheduling of urban forest care and maintenance operations. The significance of trees as a crucial aspect of the urban infrastructure is promoted by urban forestry. Urban foresters plant and maintain trees, advocate for proper tree and forest preservation, conduct research, and educate the public about the various benefits trees bring. Municipal and utility foresters, municipal and commercial arborists, environmental policymakers, city planners, consultants, educators, researchers and community activists.

The advantages, costs, and challenges of urban forest planning are numerous. Both ecological services and disservices are provided by urban forests, which are assessed prior to development. When properly placed, urban forests provide benefits such as enhanced air quality, noise reduction, temperature moderation, and storm water mitigation. Urban forest planning aims to optimise the advantages of trees by strategically planting them in the most advantageous locations. Managing tree disservices and valuing their services, the loss/ replacement cost of green infrastructure, and the expense of resolving grey infrastructure interference are all challenges that must be overcome during the design process. A significant loss of green infrastructure could change a municipality's sense of place, community identity, and social cohesiveness.

Impacts of urban forestry

Environmental impacts: Through the evapotranspiration and shadowing of streets and buildings, urban woods help to reduce the effects of urban heat islands. This enhances human comfort, lowers the danger of heat stroke, and lowers cooling expenses. Urban trees help to enhance air quality by absorbing pollutants like ozone, nitrogen dioxide, ammonia, and particle matter, as well as sequestering carbon. Trees absorb precipitation in the canopy and can delay, filter, and pump water back into the atmosphere via their roots, making urban forestry a significant instrument for storm water control. Other advantages include noise reduction, traffic management, and glare and reflection reduction.

Wildlife impacts

In the constructed environment, urban woods have a variety of effects on urban animals. An urban setting can have a substantial impact on animal behaviour and can modify the ecology of urban wildlife, impacting the behaviour of these organisms. Cities all around the world are influenced by humananimal interactions and the effects of urbanisation on wildlife populations.

Social impact

Planting and other urban forest-related events can help to alleviate social isolation, improve people's experiences, and boost environmental consciousness. Urban forests may also produce items like lumber or food, as well as give economic benefits like improved property values and the attraction of tourism, enterprises, and investment. Street trees, when properly managed and cared for, aid in the development of sustainable and healthy communities.

Conclusion

Food, water, shelter, and space or habitat is all essential for animals to survive in the urban forest. Food is provided by fruit or mast-producing trees, cover and habitat is provided by trees and other plants, and water is provided by artificial water sources in towns and their parks. Based on the municipality's ecological and/or cultural carrying capacity, the urban forest can be developed and managed in the context of local wildlife populations, boosting the population of desired species while decreasing the population of invasive species.