Urban Tree Health in Socially Vulnerable Neighborhoods in the Southeast: An Ecological and Economic Assessment

Urban forest managers often lack the essential information needed to make strategic decisions about planting and maintaining trees to mitigate climate change effects in urban areas. In this project, Southeast CASC-funded researchers will provide data on the health of urban tree species in the region and conduct an ecological and economic cost-benefit analysis to help local and regional urban forest managers optimize their climate adaptation strategies. Urban forests provide valuable ecosystem services such as mitigating air pollution, moderating temperature, and sequestering carbon. As climate change creates warmer conditions across the southeastern US, maintaining these valuable services will require keeping urban tree canopies healthy. [...]