Delivering a Multi-Functional and Resilient Urban Forest

James D. Hale, Thomas A. M. Pugh, Jon P. Sadler, Christopher T. Boyko, Julie Brown, Silvio Caputo, Maria Caserio, Richard Coles, Raziyeh Farmani, Chantal Hales, Russell Horsey, Dexter V. L. Hunt, Joanne M. Leach, Christopher D. F. Rogers and A. Rob MacKenzie
Additional contact information
James D. Hale: School of Geography Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
Thomas A. M. Pugh: Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research/Atmospheric Environmental Research, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 82467 Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
Jon P. Sadler: School of Geography Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
Christopher T. Boyko: ImaginationLancaster, Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YW, UK
Julie Brown: Faculty of the Creative Industries, Southampton Solent University, East Park Terrace, Southampton SO14 0YN, UK
Silvio Caputo: Department of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Building, Coventry University, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK
Maria Caserio: Faculty of the Arts, Design and Media, Birmingham City University, Birmingham B4 7BD, UK
Richard Coles: Faculty of the Arts, Design and Media, Birmingham City University, Birmingham B4 7BD, UK
Raziyeh Farmani: College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QF, UK
Chantal Hales: London School of Commerce, London SE1 1NX, UK
Russell Horsey: Institute of Chartered Foresters, Brunswick Court, Brunswick Square, Bristol BS2 8PE, UK
Dexter V. L. Hunt: School of Civil Engineering, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
Joanne M. Leach: School of Civil Engineering, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
Christopher D. F. Rogers: School of Civil Engineering, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
A. Rob MacKenzie: School of Geography Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK

Sustainability, 2015, vol. 7, issue 4, 1-25

Abstract: Tree planting is widely advocated and applied in urban areas, with large-scale projects underway in cities globally. Numerous potential benefits are used to justify these planting campaigns. However, reports of poor tree survival raise questions about the ability of such projects to deliver on their promises over the long-term. Each potential benefit requires different supporting conditions—relating not only to the type and placement of the tree, but also to the broader urban system within which it is embedded. This set of supporting conditions may not always be mutually compatible and may not persist for the lifetime of the tree. Here, we demonstrate a systems-based approach that makes these dependencies, synergies, and tensions more explicit, allowing them to be used to test the decadal-scale resilience of urban street trees. Our analysis highlights social, environmental, and economic assumptions that are implicit within planting projects; notably that high levels of maintenance and public support for urban street trees will persist throughout their natural lifespan, and that the surrounding built form will remain largely unchanged. Whilst the vulnerability of each benefit may be highly context specific, we identify approaches that address some typical weaknesses, making a functional, resilient, urban forest more attainable.

Keywords: urban; forest; tree; resilient; resilience; ecosystem services; scenarios; systems; futures (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
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