---
title: "Not by trees alone"
slug: "not-by-trees-alone"
tags: ["good governance", "community engagement", "social science", "green infrastructure", "urban tree canopy", "equity"]
updated: 2023-01-27T15:05:09Z
published: 2023-01-27T15:05:09Z
canonical: "fic.naturalareasnyc.org/not-by-trees-alone"
---

> ## 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.

# Not by trees alone: Centering community in urban forestry

This paper provides a review review of literature that seeks to address dimensions of equity in urban greening. It then offers three themes and related guiding questions that can help advance that work:

1. Supporting human capacity and care (investments in people and organizations)

2. Community organizing beyond the green silo (intersectional and cross-sectoral approaches)

3. Re-envisioning the functions of the urban forest (productive systems and biocultural approaches)

Finally this paper makes pointed suggestions that the field of urban forestry draw upon a community forestry ethos as we center the needs, capacities, and priorities of historically marginalized communities at the heart of the work of creating more just, sustainable cities.

### In a nutshell, this resource highlights that:

• Urban forestry can both improve communities or exacerbate existing inequities.

• Environmental justice and anti-subordination greening concepts can inform our work.

• We can center marginalized communities’ priorities via a community forestry approach.

• The field can support capacity, organize with community, and re-envision the forest.

• We point to innovations from the field and offer questions for greening practitioners

### How to use this resource:

- urban forestry practitioners who are seeking to deepen their work in diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice will find:
  - A literature review on DEIJ approaches in the field of urban forestry and urban greening
  - A theoretical framework for engaging with equity and justice in urban forestry work
  - Cases of community-centered urban forestry work from across the US
  - Inspiration and recommendations for how to center community in urban forestry.

**Authors:**

Lindsay K. Campbell, Erika S. Svendsen, Michelle L. Johnson, and Sophie Plitt

**Date published:** 2022

**P****oint of contact: Sophie.Plitt@naturalareasnyc.org**

**Citation:** Campbell, Lindsay K.; Svendsen, Erika S.; Johnson, Michelle L.; Plitt, Sophie. 2022. Not by trees alone: Centering community in urban forestry. Landscape and Urban Planning. 224(6): 104445. 8 p. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2022.104445.

[Resource is available online here.](https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/64338)

[PDF document](https://cdn.document360.io/18a9acd7-787d-47fa-9b54-01592bb1d507/Images/Documentation/nrs_2022_campbell-l_001.pdf)

##

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