Urban Forestry
What is Urban Forestry?
 The urban forest is all around us! Although it might sound like a contradiction in terms, urban communities can coexist with forests. In the case of an urban forest, this "forest" is not a traditional, wild plant community, but rather the collective canopy of individual planted shade trees and other vegetation in residential neighborhoods, commercial areas, and parkland within a city or town. Since most densely-populated environments in the United States consist of large amounts of hard pavement and aboveground structures, plus vast networks of below-ground infrastructure, there is usually very little "wild" land left within a city or town. However, it is an almost universal practice to plant trees within our communities, for shade as well as ornament.
We put trees next to buildings, along streets, and in courtyards. City parks and town commons are also found in most American cities, and the shade trees and ornamental trees of these open spaces provide respite from the noise of the urban landscape. The urban forest depends on our actions to keep it healthy, and we all benefit when we invest the resources required to maintain it properly. There is even evidence to prove that valuable ecosystem services are performed by the urban forest; these services, such as providing habitat for animals, controlling stormwater runoff, purifying our drinking water, and filtering and cooling the air we breathe, are taken for granted in "green" cities.
 Urban forestry is both a science and an art. Urban forestry involves planning and maintaining this urban forest. For the entire history of the United States, as towns and cities have evolved, people have planted and maintained trees. People seem to have a subconscious need for greenery, and by surrounding ourselves with plants we make our built surroundings more beautiful. When we plant trees, we invest in the future, for many kinds of trees have life expectancies of hundreds of years. When we plan for the care of these trees we plant, we ensure their health and survival. Trees feature prominently in the cultural heritage of many civilizations, and every civilization has had its own methods of tree care. Even now, as we learn more about the physical and biological properties of trees, we adjust our tree care practices so that we keep the tree's best interests in mind.
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