Municipal Forest Program Management in the United States of America: A Systematic Review

Municipalities across the United States have varied available resources to manage urban forests, resulting in substantial differences in urban forestry services and outcomes. This article reviews 32 survey-based studies that characterize U.S. municipal urban forest management program dimensions, inc...

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Published inForests Vol. 14; no. 1; p. 35
Main Authors Hargrave, J. Rebecca, Harper, Richard W., Butler, Brett J., Mullins, Jamie T.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Basel MDPI AG 01.01.2023
Subjects
awareness
barriers
Demographics
Design
Forest management
Forestry
Forestry research
Forests
Funding
Information management
Metropolitan areas
municipal forestry
Municipalities
needs assessment
Priorities
Systematic review
Trees
urban and community forestry
Urban areas
Urban forestry
United States > US
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Summary:Municipalities across the United States have varied available resources to manage urban forests, resulting in substantial differences in urban forestry services and outcomes. This article reviews 32 survey-based studies that characterize U.S. municipal urban forest management program dimensions, including program components; needs and barriers; knowledge of and attitudes toward urban forests; and plans and priorities for future management. Such information is critical for agencies that support local urban forest management efforts but has not previously been systematically gathered and condensed. Based on the limited national, regional, and state-level data published in peer-reviewed journals, we find that the number of municipal urban forestry programs appears to be increasing, many communities have at least one tree ordinance, and larger communities are more likely to have an official program. However, evidence suggests that few municipalities have an urban forest inventory or management plan, and most require additional financial, political, public, or educational support. More research on urban forestry program status, needed support, and local knowledge is needed as knowledge gaps remain regarding the influence of metropolitan areas and resident demographics on the presence and extent of municipal urban forestry programs. Additionally, few studies have investigated future municipal urban forestry-related intentions and priorities.
ISSN:1999-4907
1999-4907
DOI:10.3390/f14010035