Forests in Cities Resource Library

Across the United States, there are more than one million acres of forests embedded in urban landscapes. Forested natural areas are distinct from other parts of the urban forest, like street and park trees in terms of size, biodiversity, species composition, and how they’re managed. These forests are more than a collection of trees–they support plant and animal communities from the soil underfoot to the leaves in the top of the forest canopy.

Based on the experience of practitioners across the United States, the resources below include roadmaps with best practices, case studies, and real-world examples to help improve the protection, restoration and management of urban forested natural areas.