By Jocelyn Bogen
December 15, 2008

On November 19th, on behalf of the Conference of Mayors Community Trees Task Force, Meridian (MS) Mayor John Robert Smith released Protecting and Developing the Urban Tree Canopy (A 135-City Survey) at the Partner's in Community Trees Conference in Atlanta. The survey documents city efforts to protect and expand the nation's urban tree canopy, with findings based on responses from 135 cities in 36 states.

With the emergence of climate change as a priority issue for governments around the world, the role of forests in mitigating global warming is receiving increasing attention by all involved in the shaping of climate protection policy at all levels of government. Mayors in cities across the nation have long appreciated the contributions of urban tree canopies to both beautification and sustainability; in many cities responding to the Conference survey, this has translated into investments in significantly larger tree canopies. The Report was designed to produce a baseline of information – a report on the current state of community trees in America – that would be shared by all mayors and other stakeholders concerned with the management and care of the nation's urban forest.

"Knowing the importance of the urban tree canopy to climate protection, mayors have to continue to monitor progress in protecting and expanding the canopy nationwide, and continue to share information on the best ways to do that," Smith said. "This report shows that an enormous amount of work is already being done. It offers dozens of examples of how cities are maximizing their investments in the protection and expansion of the critical national resource we know trees represent."

Eighty-four percent of the cities responding to the survey link their tree management activities to sustainability and climate protection, and 38 percent of the cities which have adopted a sustainability or climate protection plan report that their plan specifically cites the contribution of trees or the tree canopy to achieving the plan's goals. Almost half of the survey cities have made enlarging the tree canopy a stated goal of their overall tree resource management plan or ordinances, and dozens of specific examples of goals are described in the report. Sixty percent of the survey cities are employing new and emerging tools and technologies to inventory trees, map the tree canopy, assess damage, assess value, or perform other tree management functions.

"The information gathered in this survey demonstrates the importance mayors and cities place on the benefits of trees" says Kelly Caffarelli, president of The Home Depot Foundation. "Not only do they recognize the beauty trees bring to our communities, but they also see the economic and environmental returns created by investing in green infrastructure."

The Conference's report also describes how many of the nation's cities have organized their activities relating to trees, including the roles they play and the authorities they exercise; partnered with other organizations in undertaking these activities; and educated residents and community organizations on the importance of the tree canopy. Support for the Conference's survey and report was provided by The Home Depot Foundation. The report is available at usmayors.org/publications.