Inclusive urban and community forestry programs: Using all of your community's cultural resources

Abstract

The thoroughly documented benefits from healthy, properly managed tree populations and less intensively managed greenbelts are not immediately apparent to all members of a community. Most citizen volunteers, local professional arborists and horticulturists, and the occasional politician that involve themselves in planting and maintaining their community's tree resource have at least a cursory understanding of the social, psychological, economic, and environmental benefits provided by trees. Yet many other segments of the population have had little to do with urban and community forestry issues. Enlisting the support of nontraditional audiences can only enhance urban and community forestry programs and strengthen the argument for increased funding needed to sustain this valuable resource.