Overview of Trees and Urban Forests in Virginia

Presentation given to the 2026 Master Gardeners Trees Stewards Class on September 14, 2026.

Transcript

1. Overview of Trees and Urban Forests in Virginia P. Eric Wiseman, PhD Associate Professor of Urban and Community Forestry Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation Virginia Tech vtuf@vt.edu linktr.ee/EricWiseman 2026 Master Gardeners Tree Stewards Class • September 14, 2026 Source: Andrius Aleksandravicius /EyeEm/Getty
2. Lecture Overview Purpose Share background on urban forests to contextualize Tree Stewards training and your contributions to community forestry Outline • Growth of urban population and urban lands • Urban forests and why they matter • Tree canopy cover in urban areas • Sustaining urban and community forests 2026 Master Gardeners Tree Stewards Class • September 14, 2026 Source: E. Wiseman 02 • 33
3. Growth of Urban Population and Urban Lands Source: www.coopercenter.org/research/national-50-state-population-projections-2030-2040-2050 2026 Master Gardeners Tree Stewards Class • September 14, 2026 Source: www.visualcapitalist.com/sp/mapping-us-urbanization-by-state 03 • 33
4. Growth of Urban Population and Urban Lands Source: www.coopercenter.org/research/new-virginia-population-projections-2030-2050 2026 Master Gardeners Tree Stewards Class • September 14, 2026 04 • 33
5. Growth of Urban Population and Urban Lands YEAR 2050 POPULATION 10,535,810 Source: www.coopercenter.org/virginia-population-projections 2026 Master Gardeners Tree Stewards Class • September 14, 2026 05 • 33
6. Growth of Urban Population and Urban Lands Source: vanhde.org/content/map 2026 Master Gardeners Tree Stewards Class • September 14, 2026 06 • 33
7. Growth of Urban Population and Urban Lands Source: research.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/64468 2026 Master Gardeners Tree Stewards Class • September 14, 2026 07 • 33
8. Growth of Urban Population and Urban Lands Source: research.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/64468 2026 Master Gardeners Tree Stewards Class • September 14, 2026 08 • 33
9. Growth of Urban Population and Urban Lands Developed: 50 million acre gain 51% net increase Source: research.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/66413 2026 Master Gardeners Tree Stewards Class • September 14, 2026 09 • 33
10. Growth of Urban Population and Urban Lands Urban Heat Island Source: nca2023.globalchange.gov 2026 Master Gardeners Tree Stewards Class • September 14, 2026 10 • 33
11. Urban Environmental Challenges 2026 Master Gardeners Tree Stewards Class • September 14, 2026 11 • 33
12. Urban Environmental Challenges Source: gicinc.org/trees_stormwater.htm 2026 Master Gardeners Tree Stewards Class • September 14, 2026 Source: gicinc.org/trees_stormwater.htm 12 • 33
13. Urban Environmental Challenges Source: www.denverpost.com/2010/10/21/deciduous-trees-have-decidedly-beneficial-impact-on-air-pollution 2026 Master Gardeners Tree Stewards Class • September 14, 2026 Source: www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-37813709 13 • 33
14. Urban Forests and Why They Matter Trees and associated natural resources found within an area of dense human settlement Primary Elements Trees Interactivity People Interdependency Infrastructure Source: www.downtownroanoke.org Source: www.downtownroanoke.org 2026 Master Gardeners Tree Stewards Class • September 14, 2026 14 • 33
15. Urban Forests and Why They Matter Source: forest.eea.europa.eu/resources/research-corner/research-highlights/urban-forestry-multi-functional-greening-in-the-city 2026 Master Gardeners Tree Stewards Class • September 14, 2026 15 • 33
16. Urban Forests and Why They Matter Source: www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/unitedstates/new-york/stories-in-new-york/canopy-factsheets-nyc Source: storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/aa4a960ab8f14db8b77c46d56dda8b9c 2026 Master Gardeners Tree Stewards Class • September 14, 2026 16 • 33
17. Tree Canopy Cover in Urban Areas Forest Cover Source: www.thoughtco.com/where-us-forests-are-located-1343035 2026 Master Gardeners Tree Stewards Class • September 14, 2026 Urban Tree Canopy Cover Source: Nowak, D.J., et al. (2010). US Forest Service GTR NRS-62. 17 • 33
18. Tree Canopy Cover in Urban Areas Percent Tree Canopy Cover in Urban Areas (UTC) National UTC Average: 39.4% Data Source: Nowak, D. J., & Greenfield, E. J. (2018). Declining urban and community tree cover in the United States. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 32, 32-55. Source: Nowak, D.J., et al. (2010). US Forest Service GTR NRS-62. 2026 Master Gardeners Tree Stewards Class • September 14, 2026 18 • 33
19. Tree Canopy Cover in Urban Areas Urban Tree Cover Change Index, 2010-2060 Source: Nowak, D. et al. (2022). Assessing Urban Forest Threats across the Conterminous United States. Journal of Forestry. 120(6): 676-692. 2026 Master Gardeners Tree Stewards Class • September 14, 2026 19 • 33
20. Forests and Trees in the State and Region Source: VA Dept. of Forestry. (2023). State of the Forest: 2022 Fiscal Year. Source: Global Forest Watch. (2024). www.globalforestwatch.org/dashboards Source: USDA Forest Service. (2024). Virginia’s Forests, 2021. Southern Research Station Resource Bulletin SRS-240. 2026 Master Gardeners Tree Stewards Class • September 14, 2026 20 • 33
21. Forests and Trees in the State and Region 64,000-square-mile area Over 18 million people Source: Brownson, K. et al. (2025). State of Chesapeake Forests Storymap. Available online at: storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/67940e8f3ce44e9bb645845d0981e7c7 2026 Master Gardeners Tree Stewards Class • September 14, 2026 21 • 33
22. Forests and Trees in the State and Region 64,000-square-mile area Over 18 million people Source: Brownson, K. et al. (2025). State of Chesapeake Forests Storymap. Available online at: storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/67940e8f3ce44e9bb645845d0981e7c7 2026 Master Gardeners Tree Stewards Class • September 14, 2026 22 • 33
23. Urban Tree Canopy Equity Source: www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/09/climate/city-heat-islands.html 2026 Master Gardeners Tree Stewards Class • September 14, 2026 Source: insights.sustainability.google 23 • 33
24. Urban Tree Canopy Equity Source: www.treeequityscore.org/map Source: treeequityscore.org 2026 Master Gardeners Tree Stewards Class • September 14, 2026 24 • 33
25. Urban Tree Canopy Equity Source: thehill.com/changing-america/sustainability/environment/560726first-nationwide-study-of-trees-finds-us-needs Source: planitgeo.com/library/urban-forestrys-new-benchmark-the-330300-rule 2026 Master Gardeners Tree Stewards Class • September 14, 2026 25 • 33
26. Considerations for Trees in Urban Environments • Urban environments are stressful environments for trees • Not all trees are suitable for urban life – some can’t tolerate it; some aren’t compatible • Trees require space – especially below ground • Put the right tree in the right place – to maximize benefits and minimize liabilities • Trees require continual investment in their maintenance and protection Source: cities4forests.com/wp-content/uploads/4-V2-1536x1536-1-1.jpg.webp 2026 Master Gardeners Tree Stewards Class • September 14, 2026 26 • 33
27. Sustaining Urban and Community Forests CONSERVE EXISTING COVER REPLENISH NEW COVER “Take care of what you’ve got!” “Plant trees!” Intrinsic Motivations Extrinsic Motivations Property Value Zoning Commerce Ordinances Livability and Viability Resource Protection Areas Educate About: Conservation Easements Benefits / Costs / Tradeoffs Financial Inducements 2026 Master Gardeners Tree Stewards Class • September 14, 2026 27 • 33
28. Sustaining Urban and Community Forests Community • Urban forests require space • Urban forests require investment • Urban forests require advocates Professionals Industry • Urban forests require knowledge • Urban forests require planning • Urban forests require expertise Scientists 2026 Master Gardeners Tree Stewards Class • September 14, 2026 Government 28 • 33
29. Sustaining Urban and Community Forests Framework for Stewardship Municipal Investment in Commercial Stewardship Space for Stewardship 2026 Master Gardeners Tree Stewards Class • September 14, 2026 Non-Profit Advocacy for Stewardship Residential 29 • 33
30. Sustaining Urban and Community Forests Public Policy Tree Removal & Recycling Management Planning Public Outreach Tree Planting Tree Protection Tree Monitoring Tree Maintenance Management Financing Source: Google Earth 2026 Master Gardeners Tree Stewards Class • September 14, 2026 30 • 33
31. Continuum of Care for Urban Forest Sustainability Selection Planting 2026 Master Gardeners Tree Stewards Class • September 14, 2026 Maintenance Recycling 31 • 33
32. Take Home Messages • The national and state populations are growing and increasingly urban • Urbanization is both an opportunity and a threat for people and the environment • Urban forests are a nature-based solution to many sustainability challenges we face in urban areas • Sustaining urban and community forests requires advocacy, expertise, investment, and partnerships Source: Larry Harwell Photography, Charlotte 2026 Master Gardeners Tree Stewards Class • September 14, 2026 32 • 33
33. Overview of Trees and Urban Forests in Virginia P. Eric Wiseman, PhD Associate Professor of Urban and Community Forestry Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation Virginia Tech vtuf@vt.edu linktr.ee/EricWiseman 2026 Master Gardeners Tree Stewards Class • September 14, 2026 33 • 33