#urban-forests — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #urban-forests, aggregated by home.social.
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Building suburbs with trees from day one should be the norm, not the exception.
Casey Council’s push for real tree canopy in Clyde shows how cooler streets, walkable neighbourhoods and liveable communities are a planning choice. Trees are infrastructure, not decoration.#climateaction #urbanforests #greencities #coolingsuburbs #australia
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01-06/clyde-tree-canopy-requirement-casey-council/106174988
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‘#Microforest’ takes root amid city streets of #ProvidenceRI, reflecting worldwide trend
“As more and more people see it, they’ll be inspired,” said Jeff Matteis of the Pearl Street Garden Collective. “It’s just like one little point, but it just radiates benefits out.”
By Edward Fitzpatrick, September 27, 2025
PROVIDENCE — "The asphalt grid of South Providence is lined with multifamily homes and concrete sidewalks. But along Pearl Street, one lot stands out.
"It’s lush and green, with nearly 270 trees packed into a 1,000-square-foot lot. Officially called the Pearl Street Garden, it contains a tiny forest in the middle of the urban jungle.
" 'Microforests' like this one are cropping up in places ranging from #ElizabethNJ to #CambridgeMA, to #Pakistan. South Providence has two, both along Pearl Street, created by #GroundworkRhodeIsland and the #PearlStreetGardenCollective. The goal is to combat climate change and bring cooling shade to urban areas that lack the leafy boulevards of wealthier neighborhoods.
" 'This isn’t habitat restoration on the scale that is needed in terms of the world,' said Jacq Hall, director of special projects at Groundwork Rhode Island, an environmental group that works to create healthier, more resilient urban communities in Rhode Island. 'But it is a really great way, especially in a city, for people to become very in close touch with biodiversity and why it’s important and why it’s also beautiful.'
"In May, more than 100 people came out to plant the microforest.
" 'There’s microforest momentum happening around the world right now,' said Jeff Matteis, cofounder of the Pearl Street Garden Collective, a group of artists, gardeners, and educators championing #ecological land #stewardship. 'I think as more and more people see it, they’ll be inspired.' "
Archived version:
https://archive.ph/ZSUcw -
Scotland embraces Japan’s Miyawaki method with "wee forests" — tiny, fast-growing urban patches packed with native trees 🌳🌱. These miniature forests boost biodiversity, cool cities, & engage communities, proving small green spaces have big impact. Discover more: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250910-the-tiny-forests-that-thrive-in-cities #UrbanForests #Miyawaki #ClimateAction #newz
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American cities with the most trees per square mile
Source: thoughtco.comListed below are those larger American cities for whom data on tree canopies is readily available, that have the most trees per square mile. Bear in mind that some examples are solely from inside the city limits proper, while others like Miami are for both the city and surrounding county.
Most surprising from the data gathered is the extent of the tree canopies in some Texan cities, especially Dallas and its suburbs, as well as Austin. Also, an unfortunate number of cities have not estimated the extent of their tree canopy.
One would have thought that ever city with a collegiate forestry or landscape architecture program would have long since calculated the extent of their tree canopy. Certainly, some have, as Athens, Austin, Seattle, Ann Arbor, Gainesville, and Fort Collins all can attest. But to not find comparable numbers from places like Boulder, Eugene, Raleigh, or Madison was quite unexpected.
Peace!
Note: Data is for all trees on both public and private property.
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- Athens, Georgia = 13.3 million or 112,640 trees per square mile
2. Austin, Texas = 33.8 million or 103,522 trees per square mile
3. Orlando, Florida = 7.5 million or 67,812 trees per square mile
4. Tampa, Florida = 9.9 million or 56,474 trees per square mile
5. Seattle, Washington = 4.35 million or 51,909 trees per square mile
6. Ann Arbor, Michigan = 1.45 million or 51,408 trees per square mile
7. Houston, Texas = 33 million or 49,624 trees per square mile for Houston
8. Gainesville, Florida = 2.95 million or 46,714 trees per square mile
9. Springfield, Missouri = 3.6 million or 43,742 trees per square mile
10. Bellevue, Washington = 1.4 million or 41,841 trees per square mile
11. Lewisville, Texas = 1.652 million or 38,870 trees per square mile
12. Dallas, Texas = 14.7 million or 38,103 trees per square mile
13. Washington, DC = 2.43 million or 35,578 trees per square mile
14. Denton, Texas = 3.5 million or 35, 425 trees per square mile
15. Milwaukee, Wisconsin = 3.38 million or 35,135 trees per square mile
16. Cleveland, Ohio = 2.37 million or 30,502 trees per square mile
17. Baltimore, Maryland = 2.8 million or 30,418 trees per square mile
18. Arlington, Texas = 2.965 million or 29,589 trees per square mile
19. Arlington, Virginia = 755,000 = 29,038 trees per square mile
20. Grand Rapids, Michigan = 1.28 million or 28,444 trees per square mile
21. Tulsa, Oklahoma = 5.2 million or 26,329 trees per square mile
22. New York City, New York = 7.0 million 23,133 trees per square mile
23. Plano, Texas = 1.6 million or 22,222 trees per square mile
24. Los Angeles, California = 10.5 million or 20,887 trees per square mile
25. Cincinnati, Ohio = 1.6 million or 20,566 trees per square mile
26. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania = 2.9 million or 20,322 trees per square mile
27. Providence, Rhode Island = 415,000 or 20,165 trees per square mile
28. Miami-Dade County, Florida = 36 million 0r 18,499 per square mile
29. Chicago, Illinois = 4.1 million or 18,038 trees per square mile
30. Minneapolis, Minnesota = 979,000 or 17,026 trees per square mile
31. Denver, Colorado = 2.2 million or 14,379 trees per square mile
32. San Francisco, California = 669,000 or 14,264 trees per square mile
33. Portland, Oregon = 1.4 million or 10,491 trees per square mile
34. Sacramento, California = 1.0 million or 9,990 trees per square mile
35. St. Paul, Minnesota = 500,000 or 8,897 trees per square mile
36. San Jose, California = 1.6 million or 8,825 trees per square mile
37. Fort Collins, Colorado = 500,000 or 8,741 trees per square mile
38. Irvine, California = 550,000 or 8,384 trees per square mile
39. Birmingham, Alabama = 1.0 million or 6,803 trees per square mile
40. Virginia Beach, Virginia = 3.2 million or 6,438 trees per square mile
41. El Paso, Texas = 1.28 million or 4,954 trees per square mile
42. Oakland, California = 200,000 or 2,564 trees per square mile
43. Buffalo, New York = 130,000 or 2,476 trees per square mile
SOURCES:
- https://www.texastrees.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Updated-State-of-the-Dallas-Urban-Forest-Report.pdf
- https://tfsweb.tamu.edu/content/article.aspx?id=23475#:~:text=An%20analysis%20of%20the%20Austin,oak%2C%20sugarberry%20and%20Texas%20persimmon.
- https://upwithtrees.org/Tulsa_UFMP_Final.pdf
- https://wordpress.com/post/panethos.wordpress.com/69529
- https://www.miamidade.gov/environment/library/reports/urban-tree-study.pdf
- https://www.tampa.gov/construction-services/tree-information#:~:text=Examples%20of%20protected%20trees%20include,go%20to%20the%20Accela%20website.
- https://www.tampa.gov/city-planning/natural-resource-planning/urban-forest-management-plan#:~:text=Tampa’s%20municipal%20forest%20consists%20of,species%20and%20145%20shrub%20species.
- https://research.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/53315#:~:text=An%20analysis%20of%20the%20urban,red%20maple%2C%20and%20Norway%20maple.
- https://www.clevelandmetroparks.com/news-press/2024/april-2024/cleveland-metroparks-launches-tree-planting-intera#:~:text=Total%20tree%20population%20is%20estimated,not%20tolerant%20to%20climate%20change
- https://caseytrees.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/iTree-2015-Report_English.pdf
- https://bcrp.baltimorecity.gov/forestry/treebaltimore/value#:~:text=Baltimore%20has%202.8%20million%20trees,and%20increasing%20our%20property%20values.
- https://chicagorti.org/2020-chicago-tree-census/#key-findings
- https://www.itreetools.org/documents/327/Milwaukee%20Ecosystem%20Analysis.pdf
- https://www.a2gov.org/departments/forestry/Pages/The-Urban-Forest.aspx#:~:text=The%20analysis%20estimates%20that%20Ann,produced%20by%20358%2C000%20automobiles%20annually.
- https://www.stpaul.gov/departments/parks-and-recreation/natural-resources/forestry/landmark-tree-program#:~:text=The%20City%20of%20Saint%20Paul,the%20City%20of%20Saint%20Paul.
- https://research.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/23593#:~:text=Abstract,quality%20in%20the%20Minneapolis%20area.
- https://coolgreentrees.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Bham-Urban-Forest-Management-Plan-Upper-Village-Creek-Dec-2016.pdf
- https://www.americanforests.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Seattle-Urban-Forest-fact-sheet.pdf
- https://www.americanforests.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Portland-Urban-Forest-Fact-Sheet-FINAL.pdf
- https://www.sfchronicle.com/projects/2021/sf-tree-cover/#:~:text=San%20Francisco%20is%20home%20to%20an%20estimated%20669%2C000%20trees%2C%20covering,the%20wealth%20of%20its%20residents.
- https://www.oaklandca.gov/resources/tree-services-fact-sheet-frequently-asked-questions#:~:text=Estimates%20show%20that%20Oakland’s%20urban,future%20of%20Oakland’s%20urban%20forest.
- https://sanjosespotlight.com/san-jose-changes-rules-to-replenish-tree-canopy/#:~:text=There%20are%20roughly%201.6%20million,concerted%20effort%20to%20replace%20it.
- https://www.capradio.org/articles/2018/12/20/how-did-sacramento-get-so-many-trees/
- https://streetsla.lacity.org/faqs-ufd#:~:text=It%20has%20been%20estimated%20that,of%20the%20larger%20urban%20forest.
- https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/e271a008988240e8acc7321a5cf5eb95
- https://research.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/57234#:~:text=An%20analysis%20of%20the%20urban,pin%20oak%2C%20and%20red%20maple.
- https://www.arlnow.com/2023/02/14/how-protecting-outstanding-private-trees-figures-into-arlingtons-conservation-goals/#:~:text=There%20are%20approximately%20755%2C000%20trees,directly%20managed%20by%20Arlington%20County.
- https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/virginia-beach-departments-docs/parks-rec/Outdoors/CaringForParks/Urban-Forest-Management-Plan.pdf
- https://communityimpact.com/dallas-fort-worth/plano/environment/2022/03/01/trees-to-be-planted-along-road-in-effort-to-increase-planos-urban-forestry/#:~:text=By%20Erick%20Pirayesh%20%7C%207:00,Community%20Impact%20Newspaper%20staff)
- http://www.google.gemini.ai
- https://www.providenceri.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/iTreeEcoProv2014.pdf
- https://tfsweb.tamu.edu/uploadedFiles/TFS_Main/Urban_and_Community_Forestry/Services_for_Local_Government/Inventories_and_Reports/El%20Paso%20Community%20Forest%20Assessment_final%2011.26.pdf
- https://www.cityofdenton.com/1113/Urban-Forestry#:~:text=Denton’s%20urban%20forest%20plays%20a,2.2%25%20from%202008%20to%202014.
- https://www.itreetools.org/documents/37/GR_Report.pdf
- https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/FR276
- https://www.cityofirvine.org/news-media/news-article/city-irvines-50th-anniversary-arbor-day-celebration#:~:text=With%20over%20550%2C000%20trees%2C%20Irvine,lives%20due%20to%20COVID%2D19.
- https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/oes/natural-environment/tree-canopy/#:~:text=Cincinnati%20Parks%20%E2%80%93%20Street%20Trees,aesthetics%20throughout%20the%20urban%20forest.
- https://tfsweb.tamu.edu/uploadedFiles/TFS_Main/Urban_and_Community_Forestry/Services_for_Local_Government/Inventories_and_Reports/ArlingtonFinalUFOREAnalysisReport.pdf
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/369649665_City_of_Lewisville_HIP_Appendix_E_-_Urban_Tree_Canopy_Study
- https://www.reed.edu/math-stats/241/2020/03/20/trees-buffalo/
- https://www.accgov.com/9914/Community-Tree-Study
- https://research.fs.usda.gov/nrs/news/releases/urban-forests-count-missouri#:~:text=Springfield%20has%203.6%20million%20trees,removal%20estimated%20at%20$2%20million.
- https://bellevuewa.gov/city-government/departments/community-development/environmental-stewardship/trees-open-space#:~:text=Bellevue’s%20estimated%201.4%20million%20trees,of%20natural%20areas%20each%20year
#cities #climateChange #environment #forests #geography #history #landUse #nature #planning #travel #treeCanopy #trees #urbanForests #urbanForsts #woodlands
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"#SomeGoodNews Tiny urban forests, inspired by the Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki, are transforming urban landscapes and contributing to the fight against climate change."
https://www.demagazine.co.uk/2024/08/23/rewilding-cities-how-tiny-urban-forests-are-combating-climate-change/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rewilding-cities-how-tiny-urban-forests-are-combating-climate-change
#SolarPunkSunday #MiyawakiMethod #Rewilding #UrbanForests #ClimateChange -
LA tree enthusiast shares her love for the city’s canopy: ‘Something we took for granted’
(... I sure didn't take it for granted when I went to LA but that's because a small city near me has its own forester backed up by a professor or two)
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/15/los-angeles-tree-canopy
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Vic Indigenous Nursery CoOperative
https://www.vinc.net.au/habitat-and-plant-info/indigenous-plant-usehttps://nespurban.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Indigenous-plant-use.pdf
#firstnations #indigenousplants #VINC #environment #conservation #biodiversity #revegetation #rewilding #urbanforests #bloomscrolling
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Shared by a friend here on Mastodon...
The #MiyawakiMethod: Imagining a #MiniForest’s Potential
An excerpt from #MiniForestRevolution by #HannahLewis.
"Making a Mini-Forest: The Basics
"Rejuvenating the soil is one of the basics of creating a mini-forest on a degraded site.
"In fact, it’s the critical first step—the goal is to simulate the living soil of a healthy, mature forest.
"This happens naturally during the stages of ecological succession, but because the Miyawaki Method skips immediately to the climax stage, some preparation is required to compensate.
"In the absence of a loose soil with plenty of organic matter, trees will struggle to grow properly. In a Miyawaki forest project, the soil is typically recharged by decompacting and amending the site with organic materials.
"Planting Density
"Planting density is another signature of the Miyawaki Method.
"Conventional wisdom says that plants compete for light, water, and soil nutrients; therefore, plants should have lots of space between them to reduce that competition.
"But it’s not how a Miyawaki forest works.
"For a Miyawaki forest, the standard planting density is three plants per square meter. This density helps achieve the goal of ecosystem regeneration.
"After all, in a natural forest, plants are not evenly and widely spaced.
"Dense planting stimulates mutualistic and competitive interactions among the plants and facilitates connections with soil microorganisms. It also promotes virtuous competition for sunlight, hastening upward growth.
"Mulching
"Mulching is a critical component of the Miyawaki Method.
"After planting, the ground is covered with a thick mulch similar to fallen leaves on a forest floor. Indeed, once the young trees have had a chance to mature, they will contribute leaf mulch to the forest floor naturally.
"Mulch protects the bare soil from water loss by evaporation, from erosion, and from temperature extremes. Mulch also suppresses weed growth and eventually decomposes into the soil, enriching it.
"As they become established over the first few years, the plantings typically need occasional watering and weeding, but after three years the young forest patches are developed enough to shade out weeds and shelter the soil.
"They are then generally self-sufficient and need no maintenance of any sort—no pruning, no watering, no fertilizing, no pest control—ever."
Read more:
https://www.chelseagreen.com/2024/the-miyawaki-method/#SolarPunkSunday #Community #Resilience #Farming #Homesteading #Gardening #UrbanForests #Miyawaki #Rewilding
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Patterns of tree removal and canopy change on public and private land in the City
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2210670720300834Soil Vaults
https://citygreen.com/product-category/soil-vault-systems/Abiotic Urban Tree Stressors
https://extension.psu.edu/abiotic-urban-tree-stressorsPermeable Pavements
https://www.porouslane.com.au/2023 1.5 hotter
https://climate.copernicus.eu/copernicus-2023-hottest-year-record -
Source:
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11676-022-01523-zTree Canopy deficits
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-53402-2Greener & Healthier
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36042873/Municipal Trees
https://opentrees.org/#pos=1/14.5/131Urban Forests
https://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/urban-forest-strategyGardens by the Bay
https://www.gardensbythebay.com.sg/Million trees NYC
https://www.nycgovparks.org/trees/milliontreesnyc#urbanforests #Melbourne #Sydney #New York #Denver #Seattle #BuenosAires #Amsterdam #Singapore.
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The need for preserving old trees in urban areas
#GiftArticle #UrbanForests #HumanEcology #Ecology #Sustainability 🎁
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/22/opinion/trees-cities-earth-day.html?unlocked_article_code=1.mU0.T86V.YhXiZJDhgKiG&smid=url-share -
„Das Konzept des Tiny Forests [ist es], als Mini-Wald das Stadtklima zu verbessern, Feinstaub aufzufangen, CO2 zu reduzieren, Lärm zu minimieren und sogar Lebensraum für Vögel und Insekten zu bieten. Dazu kommt: An heißen Tagen, wie man sie im Sommer immer öfter erlebt, kühlt ein Tiny Forest die Umgebung merklich ab.“
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The future of one of tree-sparse South King County’s largest forested parks could be decided by [checks notes] the FAA Reauthorization being considered in the Senate rn ahead of a government shutdown. https://crosscut.com/investigations/2023/09/effort-save-seatacs-biggest-forest-amid-airport-expansion #NorthSeaTacPark #SeaTac #SeaTacAirport #FAA #GovernmentShutdown #HeatIslands #NoisePollution #AirPollution #PortOfSeattle #UrbanForests #Seattle #KingCounty
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Nice story about Miyawaki forests, which are tiny, very densely planted forests of native trees and shrubs on enriched soil, with huge ecological benefits. Cambridge created one of the first in the Northeast in 2021, and Somerville is about to plant its own, behind the high school, in October. #urbanforests #biodiversity
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/24/climate/tiny-forests-climate-miyawaki.html?smid=nytcore-android-share -
New from me (+gorgeous pix by Amanda Snyder):
Many Seattleites dont realize they’re responsible for trees lining the streets until there’s a problem—or aren’t ready to provide this care. But failure to support these trees will have an increasingly dire impact on the city’s tree-canopy goals and on the planet.
Grateful to really dig into an accountability story and make it interactive (scroll!)
#forests #trees #seattle #urbanforests #greeninfrastructure #streets
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“‘It’s not the gradual change that’s going to be the problem, it’s these extreme swings of too much water, too little water, too much wind, and storm intensities are going to cause these rapid changes,’ said David Nowak, a retired scientist for the U.S. Forest Service.”
Every time I take a walk in my neighborhood or run errands downtown, I can’t help but wonder what our town will look like as this century progresses. #trees #urbanforests #climate
https://apnews.com/article/science-trees-seattle-washington-conifers-7b4428ccddcb05904f478d97b6c4a570
