Our Urban Forest

The goal of the model urban forest is to enlarge and improve the urban tree canopy to obtain the economic, ecological, and social benefits of trees. Below is a chart that compares the existing development model, by which most of our cities are currently designed, to an urban forest model, which is swiftly becoming the design model of the future.

Existing Development Model	Urban Forest Model
Trees have low priority	Trees have equal priority
Trees as ornament	Trees as infrastructure
Individual Trees	Forest
Small and ornamental trees	Large Canopy Trees
Lawn and Paving	Vegative ground cover
Tree maintenance	Forest management
Aesthetics-based design	Soil/Ecological-based design

Shifting our focus from the existing development model to an urban forest model will:

Preserve existing trees and forests
Increase space for tree planting
Preserve and improve the quality of the tree growing environment
Expand the diversity and suitability of trees in the region
Identify efficient planting locations
And manage the urban forest as a continuous resource, regardless of ownership boundaries.

All information above and much more is published in Georgia Model Urban Forest Book by the Georgia Forestry Commission. This excellent document can be accessed at the Georgia Forestry Commission's Web Site at www.gfc.state.ga.us. It is well worth the read if you have any interest in Urban Forestry.