Vibrant Cities Lab: new national go-to resource for urban forests
A State-of-the-Art Platform to Help City Leaders Harness Urban Forests.
Why Tree Canopy
Trees and forests play a vital role in protecting and restoring our Chesapeake Bay watershed. Whatever size your community, your local tree canopy provides an array of benefits that we often take for granted. Trees create healthy, vibrant communities – cleaning the air, reducing stormwater pollution, providing shade and energy savings, nurturing wildlife, and enhancing the local economy and quality of life.
Since 2003, the Chesapeake Bay states and partners have set goals for urban tree canopy, and in 2014 charted a new Chesapeake Tree Canopy Strategy to help communities make progress on these goals.
See the links at right for our resource hubs on how tree canopy advances climate resilience, equity, public health, and stormwater management. We hope you will use and share the below Local Government Guide (and companion resources) on Capitalizing on the Benefits of Trees:
Resources:
Resources & Stories
Video: Urban Forest Benefits
This Forest Fast Break video gives a quick (under 2 minutes!) and engaging intro to urban forest benefits. See also their excellent introductory video on Urban Forests.
Urban Forest Connections Webinar Recordings
The Forest Service’s Urban Forest Connections webinar series brings experts together to discuss the latest science, practice, and policy on urban forestry and the environment.
