vibrantcitieslab.comVibrant Cities Lab : Resources for Urban Forestry, Trees, and Green

Infrastructure Vibrant Cities Lab Research, Case Studies, Guides Urban Forestry Toolkit Resources EspañolLogin Vibrant Cities Lab Toolkit Resources EspañolAbout Login Trees Improve Human Health Human Health Back Urban forests reduce a variety of health issues, such as respiratory diseases and skin cancer, and promote an active lifestyle, which can reduce obesity. Guides Climate & Health Action Guide Research Nature’s Impact on Human Health Action Guide Social Impact Mental Impact Physical Impact Case Studies Little Rock Combats Chronic Diseases Through Medical Mile Trail” Philadelphia LandCare Program El Paso, TX: Campus Expands Urban Forest 60% for Mental Health Louisville, KY: Green Spaces Make Healthier Places New York, NY: Streets without trees harm kids and seniors Amigos de los Rios and the Emerald Necklace Back Economic Development Economic Development Back While trees are working hard for air and water quality, they’re also increasing property values, improving business performance and creating jobs. Guides Career Pathways Action Guide Research Brownfield Remediation Jobs Impact Business Impact Property Values Impact Case Studies College Park Georgia Transforms Abandoned Property Next to Hartsfield-Jackson Airport Providence, RI: Tree Nursery on Brownfield DC Water: Nation’s First Environmental Impact Bond and Green Infrastructure Certification Back Water Quality Water Quality Back Trees are often left out of the discussion on urban green infrastructure, yet studies show they have a significant impact on water quality and quantity, in addition to their other benefits. Research Pollution Reduction Stormwater Mitigation Case Studies Phytoremediation with Poplar Trees Roanoke, VA: Vacant Property Critical to Urban Tree Canopy Boise, ID: Soil matters Rutland, VT: Trees Reduce Surface Water Pollution Lenexa, KS: Rain to Recreation Palo Alto, CA: Water, Drought, People and Urban Forests Back Air Quality Air Quality Back Urban air pollution causes 200,000 deaths per year in the United States. Trees are a front-line of defense that have been shown to reduce both deaths and respiratory disease. Research Energy Use Impact Urban Heat Impact Pollution Impact Case Studies Syracuse, NY: Ecosystem Services Depend on Species Diversity Georgia Tech: Understanding Urban Heat Islands at the Site Scale Boulder, CO: Trees Save Energy, But… Back Public Safety Public Safety Back The common perception that urban vegetation is associated with higher crime can be true, but well-maintained tree canopy can also reduce crime. Research Crime Impact Case Studies Philadelphia: A Water Department Reduces Crime Chicago’s 606: Abandoned Rail to Crime Reducing Trail Here in Youngstown: Lots of Green Reduces Crime Back Equity Equity Back The wealth of a community can often be determined by its amount of tree canopy. Well-intentioned tree planting programs often exacerbate this divide. Research Planting Programs Uneven Distribution Case Studies Changing the Heritage Narrative: Detroit, MI Stewardship to State Policy: Using Trees to Transform Oakland, CA Portland Parks and Recreation: Planting an Equitable Forest Baltimore Tree Trust: Doing More Together New Jersey Tree Foundation: Small is Beautiful Maryland Workforce Development Program Launches Careers in Tree Care Philadelphia: Roots to Re-Entry Reaching Diverse Communities in the Chesapeake Bay Inglewood, CA: Community Engagement Defines Community Needs Back Transportation Transportation Back Transportation recently surpassed electricity production as the largest carbon dioxide emitter. Trees can reduce environmental impact while calming traffic, encouraging walking, decreasing aggressive driving and extending the life of pavement. Research Complete Streets Mobility Impact Case Studies Washington, DC’s Urban Forestry Division: An All-of-the-Above Approach to Public Engagement Tucson, AZ: Green Streets Policy Reading, PA: Best-in-Nation Complete Streets Policy Back Education Education Back Exposure to nature has shown various impacts on students, from improved academic performance and focus to reduced ADHD symptoms. Guides Career Pathways Exploration Guide Research Academic Impact Case Studies Flagstaff, AZ: Fires of Change Art Exhibition Albuquerque, NM: Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program San Francisco: Bay Youth for the Environment Program Back City Planning City Planning Back Planners who succeed tend to be opportunistic... It is, in a way, a creative awareness of the many linkages that exist among the variety of social, political, environmental, and economic issues that confront planners in their everyday work.” Read more in the essay below. Research Regional Planning Engineered Systems Case Studies Going Public — 2016 San Francisco Ballot Initiative Requires City to Maintain Street Trees Iowa: Small Town Tree Inventories and Management Plans Boise, ID: Innovative Collaboration in the Treasure Valley Providence, RI: Battling Climate Change and Severe Flooding Back Smart Cities Tech Smart Cities Tech Back Nature doesn’t end where the latest technologies begin. They are used to design, analyze, monitor and grow the urban forest. Research Solar Panels Case Studies Chicago: Sensors Track Real-Time Quality of Life” Indicators Philadelphia: Stormwater Credits Explorer Brooklyn, NY: Hi-Tech Garden Controls Stormwater Flow Back Urban Wood Reuse Urban Wood Reuse Back With more trees removed from urban areas than National Forests, urban wood reuse in legacy cities can ignite new industrial economies that create jobs, improve ecosystems, and reduce environmental impact. You can apply lessons from the Baltimore experience in your own community. Guides Urban Wood Reuse Action Guide Research Building a Program Benefits Economic Impact Products Waste Management Case Studies Camp Small — Baltimore’s Public Sort Yard and Processing Facility Elkhart, IN: Creating Value in the Wake of Emerald Ash Borer Sacramento, CA: Sequestering Carbon Through Urban Lumber Salvage Clackamas County, OR: Legislation to Develop Markets for Urban Lumber Boulder County, CO: Managing fire risk with an urban sort yard Baltimore: Creating jobs with salvaged wood Ann Arbor, MI: Recycling urban wood for landfill avoidance Back Resilience Resilience Back Trees and urban forests endure multiple sources of stress. Most can be handled through proper planting and regular maintenance. But every community at some point will endure an event that creates catastrophic stress, a disaster. It may be fire, hurricanes, flooding, wind and ice storms or epidemics of tree-killing pests and disease. What happens then, depends on what you’re doing now. Guides Climate & Health Action Guide Research Disaster Rips the Fabric of Communities Everyone Knows What a Disaster Is. Don’t They? Impacts of Climate Change The Policy Framework for Disaster Response and Recovery Case Studies Small Community, Big Comeback: The Story of Greensburg, Kansas Beetles Attack, Worcester MA Fights Back After the Trees Caught Fire More Than Bricks and Mortar: Rebuilding the Spirit of Community Back Urban Forestry Toolkit Get Started Assess Prioritize Organize Plan Build Protect Sustain Community Assessment & Goal-Setting Tool Library Vibrant cities put people first to cultivate thriving trees and equitable urban forests that boost public health, safety, and sustainability. Make The Case Evidence keeps growing — see research data and real examples of the impact of trees. Make It Happen Get started in your own community with the Urban Forestry Toolkit. 16th Street Mall in Denver. Photo courtesy VISIT DENVERVibrant Cities Lab was created by the USDA Forest Service , American Forests , and the National Association of Regional Councils to support a broad community of practice and advocacy for thriving and equitable urban forests. Urban & Community Forestry Inflation Reduction Act Grants Finding Relief in the Shade: Expanding Urban Tree Canopy for a Cooler Future Upward Ground: Young Professionals Lead the...