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Handbook of Urban and Community Forestry in the Northeast pp 11–25Cite as

Understanding the Benefits and Costs of Urban Forest Ecosystems

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Abstract

One of the first considerations in developing a strong and comprehensive urban forestry program is determining the desired outcomes from managing and maintaining vegetation in cities. Urban trees offer a wide range of potential benefits to the urban environment and society. However, there also are a wide range of potential costs and, as with all ecosystems, numerous interactions that must be understood if society is to optimize the net benefits from urban vegetation. Inadequate understanding of the wide range of benefits, costs, and expected outcomes of urban vegetation management designs and plans, as well as interactions among them, may drastically reduce the contribution of vegetation toward improving urban life and the environment.

Keywords

  • Volatile Organic Compound
  • Tree Cover
  • Urban Forest
  • Pollution Removal
  • Urban Tree

These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. USDA Forest Service, Northeastern Research Station, Syracuse, New York, 13210, USA

    David J. Nowak

  2. USDA Forest Service, North Central Research Station, Evanston, Illinois, 60202-2357, USA

    John F. Dwyer

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  1. David J. Nowak
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  2. John F. Dwyer
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Cook College-Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA

    John E. Kuser

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Nowak, D.J., Dwyer, J.F. (2000). Understanding the Benefits and Costs of Urban Forest Ecosystems. In: Kuser, J.E. (eds) Handbook of Urban and Community Forestry in the Northeast. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-4191-2_2

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