---
title: "Conceptualizing social-ecological drivers of change in urban forest patches"
slug: "conceptualizing-social-ecological-drivers-change-urban-forest-patches"
updated: 2022-01-10T19:04:41Z
published: 2022-01-10T19:04:41Z
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://fic.naturalareasnyc.org/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Conceptualizing social-ecological drivers of change in urban forest patches

This paper introduces a conceptual model of how social and ecological factors contribute to the formation, development, and management of urban forested natural areas. The authors present and explain a series of factors at multiple scales, from the local level to macro-scale social changes, that end up co-producing urban forested natural areas.

### In a nutshell, this resource offers:

- A conceptual model, in the form of a box and arrow diagram, that visually depicts patterns of cause and effect in urban forested natural areas.
- Descriptions of multiple factors that influence urban forested natural areas, from governance at multiple scales, to landscape ecology, to the effects of visitors on the land.
- A backgrounder on what forested natural areas are, and how they come to be.

### How to use this resource:

- As a checklist for concepts to consider when making plans or decisions about urban forested natural areas.
- As a citation to justify the importance of management and care for urban forested natural areas.
- As a starting point to understand urban forested natural areas at a high, conceptual level.

**Author:**Lea R. Johnson and Michelle L. Johnson et al.

**Date published:**2020

**P****oint of contact:**Lea Johnson, Longwood Gardens, Division of Research and Conservation, Land Stewardship and Ecology Program, [ljohnson@longwoodgardens.org](mailto:ljohnson@longwoodgardens.org)

**Citation:**Johnson, L. R.; Johnson, M. L.; Aronson, M. F. J.; Campbell, L. K.; Carr, M. E.; Clarke, M.; D’Amico, V.; Darling, L.; Erker, T.; Fahey, R. T.; King, K. L.; Lautar, K.; Locke, D. H.; Morzillo, A. T.; Pincetl, S.; Rhodes, L.; Schmit, J. P.; Scott, L.; Sonti, N. F. 2020. *Conceptualizing social-ecological drivers of change in urban forest patches.* Urban Ecosystems. 125: 254-270.

[Resource is available online here](https://www.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/pubs/60501).

[PDF document](https://cdn.document360.io/18a9acd7-787d-47fa-9b54-01592bb1d507/Images/Documentation/nrs_2020_johnson_001.pdf)

##

## Related

- [Advancing Management of Urban Forested Natural Areas: Toward an Urban Silviculture?](/advancing-management-urban-forested-natural-areas-urban-silviculture.md)
- [Realizing the Potential of Urban Forests](/realizing-potential-urban-forests.md)
- [The Care of Forested Natural Areas in American Cities](/care-of-forested-nautral-areas.md)