The Cross-Pollinator is a science synthesis publication produced quarterly in cooperation between the Northern Research Station, the Urban Field Station Network, State and Private Forestry, and the Urban Forest Technology and Science Delivery Team. It spotlights transdisciplinary collaborations among researchers and practitioners that “cross” forest research with urban and community forests at a landscape scale.
Issue 1: Forest Patches
Summer 2020
Natural turned national infrastructure: Urban forest patches in the 21st century
With about 82 percent of the U.S. population living in urban areas today, it may sometimes feel that we’re removed from nature. Yet science is increasingly revealing how dependent we are on nature for our individual and collective physical, emotional, and mental health, as well as for climate resilience. In some cases, the connections we need for our own and other species’ survival and well-being may literally be just down the street.
Current Buzz - A list of related tools and resources
Presentations
- The Science and Practice of Managing Forests in Cities: A Shared Stewardship Approach to Urban and Rural Silviculture
- Addressing Loss of Tree Cover in Urban Watersheds: The Importance of Local Codes and Policies
Reports, Resources, & Tools
- CATE Special Issue: The Science and Practice of Managing Forests in Cities. This compendium in the journal Cities and The Environment (CATE) has a description of the Forests in Cities workshop, its themes, as well as 25 case studies from 12 cities across the US.
- Forest Patch First Aid - This is a model community guide to caring for a neighborhood forest patch, from Baltimore Greenspace.
- Urban wildlife - This website from the USDA Forest Service demonstrates how protecting and restoring wildlife habitat in our cities and suburbs is a vital component of wildlife conservation.
- Youth education - What are urban forests? Volume 6, Number 1 of the Natural Inquirer takes a deeper dive to find out! Suitable for middle and high school students.
- See your urban forest - Enter your community or zip code into i-Tree Landscape to get a quick view
- Urban heat islands - Combatting Urban Heat Island with Trees. A resource guide from the US EPA.
- Available grants and resources - A listing of funding sources for urban forestry programs from the Vibrant Cities Lab.
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Untapped Common Ground: The Care of Forested Natural Areas in American Cities. In 2018, the Natural Areas Conservancy, The Trust for Public Land, and the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies completed the first ever survey of organizations that manage the nation’s urban forested natural areas, hearing from representatives from 125 organizations, in 111 cities, across 40 states. This report describes the state of urban natural areas management across the U.S.
- Urban nature for human health and well-being: a research summary for communicating the health benefits of urban trees and green space. A comprehensive review of research studies that demonstrate the impact of urban forests and green space on human physical and mental health.
Research Papers
- Johnson, Michelle L.; Novem Auyeung, D.S.; Sonti, Nancy F.; Pregitzer, Clara C.; McMillen, Heather L.; Hallett, Richard; Campbell, Lindsay K.; Forgione, Helen M.; Kim, Mina; Charlop-Powers, Sarah; Svendsen, Erika S. 2019. Social-ecological research in urban natural areas: an emergent process for integration. Urban Ecosystems. 22: 77-90.
- Ogden, L.A.; Aoki, C.; Grove, J.M.; Sonti, N.F.; Hall, W.; Locke, D.; Pickett, S.T.A.; Avins, M.; Lautar, K.; Lagrosa, J. 2018. Forest ethnography: an approach to study the environmental history and political ecology of urban forests. Urban Ecosystems. 22(1): 49-63.
- Pregitzer, C.C.; Charlop-Powers, S.; Bibbo, S.; Forgione, H.M.; Gunther, B.; Hallett, R.A.; Bradford, M.A. 2019. A city-scale assessment reveals that native forest types and overstory species dominate New York City forests. Ecological Applications. 29(1): e01819. 12 p.
- Sonti, N.F. 2019. Ambivalence in the woods: Baltimore resident perceptions of local forest patches. Society & Natural Resources. 10.1080/08941920.2019.1701162. 20 p.
- Sonti, N.F.; Campbell, L.K.; Svendsen, E.S.; Johnson, M.L.; Novem Auyeung, D.S. 2020. Fear and fascination: use and perceptions of New York City’s forests, wetlands, and landscaped park areas. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening. 49: 126601. 10 p.
- Sonti, N.F.; Hallett, R.A.; Griffin, K.L.; Sullivan, J.H. 2019. White oak and red maple tree ring analysis reveals enhanced productivity in urban forest patches. Forest Ecology and Management. 453: 117626. 11 p.
- Wolf, Kathleen L.; Derrien, Monika M.; Kruger, Linda E.; Penbrooke, Teresa L. 2020. Chapter 6: Nature, outdoor experiences, and human health. In: Selin, Steven; Cerveny, Lee K.; Blahna, Dale J.; Miller, Anna B., eds. 2020. Igniting research for outdoor recreation: linking science, policy, and action. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-987. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station: 85-100.