Forests in Cities: The Importance of Forested Natural Areas Across the U.S.

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.

In a nutshell, this resource offers:

• A high-level, comprehensive guide to understanding forests in cities for people unfamiliar with the concept.
• Fast facts about forests in cities: how many acres, the percentage of all urban parkland forest in cities account for, and the ecosystem services forests in cities provide.
• A description of the challenges facing forests in cities, and explanations why more funding and resources are needed for their management.

How to use this resource:

• As an introduction to forests in cities for elected officials, partners, funders, or other stakeholders who are unfamiliar with the concept.
• As a source for high-level data and information about forested natural areas.

Date published: 2021

Point of contact: Sophie Plitt, National Partnerships Manager, Natural Areas Conservancy, sophie.plitt@naturalareasnyc.org