Urban Forests:
An Essential Tool for Climate-Resilient Communities

As we navigate the escalating impacts of climate change, fostering plentiful urban forests is not just beneficial — it is essential for the long-term sustainability and resilience of our communities.

Sponsored Content | / This article is sponsored by Sustainable Forestry Initiative | By Mike Martini | Published 3 weeks ago | About a 4 minute read

Image: Arbor Day Foundation

As global temperatures rise and the frequency of severe weather events increases, the critical role of urban forests in enhancing community resilience is becoming more evident. Recent data from NASA highlights a concerning trend — a global average surface temperature rise of approximately 2 degrees Fahrenheit since the 19th century, exacerbating climate impacts across our cities. Fortunately, the recognition of urban forests as essential tools in our climate-resilience toolkit is growing.

Understanding the climate crisis in urban settings

More than 80 percent of people in the US and Canada live in urban areas, and these settings' dense populations and infrastructure are encountering increasingly common challenges in the face of climate change. The rise in surface temperatures contributes to the urban heat island effect, making cities unbearably hot and increasing residents' reliance on energy-intensive cooling solutions such as air conditioning. And more intense and frequent rainfall, storms and heatwaves threaten not just the infrastructure but also the health and wellbeing of urban populations.

Strategic management for disaster resilience

The strategic development and management of urban forests are imperative to combat these challenges. Urban trees provide critical services by cooling the air through shade and evapotranspiration, reducing flood risks by enhancing stormwater absorption and improving air quality by filtering pollutants — all crucial benefits for reducing the physical and socio-economic impacts of climate disasters on urban communities.

Effective, sustainable urban forest management requires a thoughtful approach that includes selecting resilient tree species that can adapt to changing climate conditions and urban settings. It also involves the strategic placement of trees to optimize environmental benefits and integrate forests into broader urban planning and disaster risk reduction strategies.

The pivotal role of civic and corporate leadership

Cities and businesses can and must lead the charge in integrating urban forestry into climate-resilience strategies. By prioritizing green infrastructure, they can mitigate the adverse effects of climate change and enhance urban livability. Investments in urban forestry are not only proactive measures for climate adaptation but also provide significant economic returns by reducing disaster-related damages and healthcare costs associated with pollution and heat.

Community engagement is another critical component. Involving community members in the planning and maintenance of urban forests ensures that these initiatives are well-supported and sustainable. Delmarva Power, in partnership with Arbor Day Foundation’s Energy-Saving Tree Program, engages customers in Maryland and Delaware to participate in the sustainable management of their local urban canopies by providing a free tree giveaway annually — allowing residents to see the impact of tree planting on their property. Educational campaigns can enhance public awareness of the benefits of urban trees and encourage community actions to protect and expand these green spaces.

Growing resilience to climate change, literally

Urban forests comprise all the trees locally and regionally — public trees in streets, parks and greenspaces; as well as private trees on corporate and university campuses. We can collectively help the urban forest become more resilient to climate disasters. Each of us has a role to play in taking responsibility for our part of the urban forest.

One path forward is utilizing the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) Urban and Community Forestry Sustainability Standard — and more specifically, the Climate and Disaster Resilience Theme. Third-party certification of a local or regional urban forest signifies an organization’s commitment to climate resilience to their community.

At SFI, we believe sustainable forests are vital to our shared future. By advancing sustainability through forest-focused collaborations with diverse partners, we strive to create a world that values and benefits from sustainably managed forests.

The strategic enhancement of urban forests is a powerful approach to building climate and disaster resilience in urban areas. Trees are natural solutions that mitigate the effects of heightened temperatures and severe weather, safeguarding infrastructure and improving quality of life for city dwellers. As we navigate the escalating impacts of climate change, fostering plentiful urban forests is not just beneficial — it is essential for the long-term sustainability and resilience of our communities.