Urban Nature Stats: Metrics and Data on Forested Natural Areas from the 17-City Forests in Cities Network
By Sophie Plitt, Clara C. Pregitzer, Crystal A. Crown
By Sophie Plitt, Clara C. Pregitzer, Crystal A. Crown
The following report shares selected metrics about urban forested natural areas across the Forests in Cities Network based on data collected in 2021. To get an in-depth understanding of how urban forested natural areas are managed across the Forests in Cities network, survey responses were solicited from city teams asking a series of questions that explored themes such as characterization of forested natural area acres, budget, and governance structures.
These data present a clear trend: forested natural areas are an extremely valuable resource for the collected data covers a spectrum of factors, from the characterization of natural areas to issues of equity, public access, and climate impact. Notably, the report reveals the vulnerability of urban forested natural areas to stressors such as invasive species, climate change, and budget constraints. The findings underscore the critical role these areas play in supporting biodiversity, mitigating climate change, and providing high-quality nature experiences for urban residents.
This report summarizes the main threats to one type of urban natural area–forests–and the strategies cities use to minimize or negate these threats. Overall, this report shows that cities use various tactics such as ordinances, zoning, land acquisitions, and federal protections to preserve natural areas. The most successful approaches feature o...
During summer 2022, the Natural Areas Conservancy partnered with 12 cities from the Forests in Cities network to conduct a study focused on quantifying differences in air and surface temperature between types of urban greenspace, with a focus on urban natural areas. As a result of this study, we found that urban natural areas are the coolest class ...