Download - Cascade Land Conservancy

THE TRUE
NATURE OF OUR
URBAN FORESTS
Forterra’s Urban
Forestry Research
By Lisa Ciecko, Green Cities Project Manager and Weston Brinkley, Stewardship Research & Development Manager
Trees and natural areas are all around us. They are not
just out in the mountains or over on the coast, but in
our parks and backyards and on our streets. But, much
of what we know about natural areas—their health, how
they impact us, how to maintain them—was determined
through research in rural areas and wilderness, not where
people are most often in contact with them. The trees
and natural areas where people live and work are much
different and have a special set of needs and values they
provide. Because most people live in cities and towns,
these are the landscapes that that have the most direct
impact on our lives. Conducting new research about
these unique spaces will teach us how to maintain these
landscapes and get the most value from them. Urban
forestry research is therefore paramount in creating livable
communities and conserving great natural areas.
Starting in 2009 with initial funding from the US Forest
Service Pacific Northwest Research Station and the
American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, Forterra
joined a broad range of partners including the University
of Washington, King County, EarthCorps, City of Seattle
and the Forest Service to form the Green Cities Research
Alliance. This collaborative partnership pairs scientists
with practitioners and local decision makers to co-design
and implement research efforts that provide relevant and
practical information. Needs were assessed, research
scopes drafted and implementation co-managed by this
range of professions to increase research effectiveness.
One project included in-depth field interviews with
over four-hundred volunteers working to steward and
restore urban natural areas in Seattle Parks, King County
Parks and the Duwamish River Corridor. Results teach
us about volunteer motivations and experiences, which
are being worked into volunteer event management and
recruitment programs at the City of Seattle, King County
and numerous non-profit event leads. Interestingly,
these environmental volunteers are motivated by social
considerations such as improving their neighborhood and
meeting new people.
Another project developed and implemented rapid
data collection methods to provide a comprehensive
understanding of the composition and health of forested
areas. Piloted on over 20,000 acres of forested King
County parklands, the project has produced, for the first
time ever, a complete picture that park managers can
work from to prioritize forest management and implement
programs to improve this important regional resource.
The tool itself now can be used more widely as an
advanced technique for urban forest assessment.
Our ecosystem values project examined the condition
of urban forests. Much like the volunteer assessment,
this work was carried out in three areas – City of Seattle,
King County Parks and the Green-Duwamish River
Corridor. Tree measurements were compiled and analyzed
to characterize the forest structure and to calculate
ecosystem services (like carbon sequestration and
pollution removal) and to estimate associated economic
values. In Seattle, the Forest Ecosystems Values project
results are informing Urban Forest Management Plan
revisions and building awareness of the value of the
city’s trees.
Though the last three years of research has been
substantial, it is only the initial project of the Green
Cities Research Alliance. Future research will continue to
improve the way we exist with our most immediate natural
resources. As we continue to coordinate the efforts of
the science community and land managers within the
Pacific Northwest region, we will continue to improve our
landscapes and communities and link our investigations
to other U.S. urban areas.
11
Lisa Ciecko and King County Parks Resource Specialist conducting research. Photo by Troy Deady, King County Parks
FALL 2012