Research Work Unit NRS-08 Urban vegetation and its management
can significantly influence human health and environmental
quality in and around cities. Thus, optimal vegetation designs
and management practices are essential to sustain human and
environmental well-being for current and future generations. To
this end, forest and community managers need accurate
information on the urban forest resource, how it is changing,
and the ecosystem services it provides. Decision-making tools
are also necessary to guide management and policies related to
improving ecosystem services provided by trees. Researchers at
the USDA Forest Service Lab in Syracuse, NY, work with numerous
cooperators to: 1) quantify urban forest structure (e.g., number
of trees, species composition), 2) determine how urban forest
structure and its management affect ecosystem services (e.g.,
air and water quality, carbon sequestration, air temperatures,
soil-nutrient cycling) and 3) develop appropriate vegetation
management strategies and tools to