Urban Forest (Climate Change) SORATH ABBASI

Introduction Urban forest is defined as the totality of trees and shrubs on all public and private land in and around urban areas (including bushland, parkland, gardens and street trees) Urban forestry The art, science, and technology of managing trees and forest resources in and around urban community ecosystems for the physiological, sociological, economic, and aesthetic benefits trees provide society (Helms 1998, based on Miller 1997) Origins of the conept are in North America during the 1960s.

Deforestation

Function s

Urban forests provide critical ecosystem services.

How urban forest can help cities??

By Reducing Urban Heat Island Efect

Legal issues in urban tree management For the effective, planned and systematic management of trees in cities, a measure of legal control is necessary.

Case Studies ‘Greening' of Melbourne

Why is the urban forest important? The City of Melbourne is currently facing three significant challenges: climate change, urban heating and population growth. These will place significant pressure on the built fabric, services and people of the city.

Urban Forest Damage More than a decade of drought, severe water restrictions and periods of extreme heat, combined with an ageing tree stock, have put our trees under immense stress and many are now in a state of accelerated decline. As a result, expect to lose 27 per cent of current tree population in the next decade and 44 per cent in the next 20 years.

Introduction The City of Melbourne’s urban forest comprises around 70,000 trees in streets and parks as well as approximately 20,000 trees located in the private realm, in addition to a growing number of green roofs and walls across the municipality.

Urban Forest Strategy The Urban Forest Strategy identified the need to generate a new legacy for Melbourne and create a forest for future generations.

Urban Forest Strategy  The Urban Forest Strategy sets out principles and targets to help to achieve vision of a healthy, resilient and diverse urban forest.  The strategy aims to: ◦adapt city to climate change ◦mitigate the urban heat island effect by bringing inner-city temperatures down ◦create healthier ecosystems ◦become a water-sensitive city ◦engage and involve the community.

Principles

The vision for East Melbourne forest

Canopy cover Canopy cover is a way of expressing, as a percentage, how much of any given area is shaded by trees. Currently, 77% of Melbourne’s streets and parks are without natural shade, and the areas of the city with the highest population density have the lowest canopy cover. The City aims to double its canopy cover by 2040 and is currently planting 3,000 trees per year to achieve this target.

Community Prioritiesv

Community Priorities

East Melbourne’s urban forest in 2013 and its projected future

Diversity

Canopy Cover

Conop cover

Prioritising Tree Planting in Streets

Guiding principles and considerations for tree planting

Soil and moisture conditions: Improve soil moisture conditions and select species appropriate to the site conditions

Constraints

Long-term Planting Strategy This strategy provides the longterm direction for planting in the precinct. The selection of tree species for each street should respond to criteria including optimal size and other characteristics that relate to the street typology and its relationship to the major planting sub-precincts.

San Francisco Urban Forest Map

Purpose The information we gather will help urban foresters and city planners to better manage trees in specific areas, track and combat tree pests and diseases, and plan future tree plantings. Climatologists can use it to better understand the effects of urban forests on climates, and students and citizen scientists can use it to learn about the role trees play in the urban ecosystem. Our goal is to provide a one-stop repository for tree data, welcoming information from any agency or group and enabling and celebrating citizen participation. Together we’ll work toward building a complete, dynamic picture of the urban forest.

Thank you Any question?