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Community Trees and Forests

Improving Environmental and Human Well-Being

  • 1st Edition - June 1, 2026
  • Latest edition
  • Author: David J. Nowak
  • Language: English

Improving Environmental and Human Health with Community Trees and Forests provides the latest and most comprehensive information on community forests globally, how these trees… Read more

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Description

Improving Environmental and Human Health with Community Trees and Forests provides the latest and most comprehensive information on community forests globally, how these trees improve human health and well-being, the value of community trees, and what local land managers, from the lot to regional scale, could do to improve the benefits provided by community trees. It offers a complete understanding of the benefits and costs associated with trees in cities and how these benefits occur. This book facilitates the creation of sustainable community forests that provide optimal benefits to individuals and society.

It takes a systems approach, focusing on the forest population rather than the individual tree, and providing information on the best tree species and designs to produce optimal effects. The book is divided into three major sections: The Basics, Urban Forest Benefits, and Improving the Urban Environment with Trees. It covers how cities affect our local environment, the monetary value of trees, and specific steps that land managers should follow to manage and improve their local tree and forest population. This comprehensive resource is valuable for city forest and park managers, policy makers, regional managers, and non-profit groups.

Key features

  • Offers specific recommendation on species selections and designs to enhance tree benefits and urban forestry
  • Promotes an understanding of how trees produce multiple benefits that affect the health and well-being of community members
  • Provides concrete steps readers can take to enhance their understanding of their local forests and promote better forest management and funding in their communities

Readership

Urban forest managers; city forest and park managers; landscape architects; policy makers; politicians; regional managers; tree advocates; private tree care companies; and non-profit groups

Table of contents

THE BASICS

1. The City Environment

2. The Urban Forest

3. The Changing Urban Forest

4. Sustainable Community Forests

5. The Tree – Basic Functions

URBAN FOREST BENEFITS

6. TREES: Totally Remarkable Environmental Engineering Solutions

7. Valuing Forests

8. Air Temperature Reduction

9. Building Energy Conservation

10. Social / Psychological / Physiological

11. Air Quality

12. Water Quality

13. Climate Change

14. Ultraviolet Radiation Reduction

15. Noise

16. Products

17. Wildlife

18. Oxygen Production

19. Other Benefits and Costs

IMPROVING THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT WITH TREES

20. Planning a Better Tomorrow

21. Assessing your Urban Forest Resource and Values

22. Developing Management Plan

23. Monitoring Progress

24. Conclusion

APPENDICES

1: Author Biography

2: Best Tree Species

3: Best Design Summary

4: Dedication

5: Acknowledgments

6: Glossary

Product details

  • Edition: 1
  • Latest edition
  • Published: June 1, 2026
  • Language: English

About the author

DN

David J. Nowak

Dr. David Nowak is a retired Senior Scientist of the U.S. Forest Service. He has authored 400 publications and led teams developing the i-Tree software suite that quantifies the benefits and values from vegetation globally. He has given over 600 presentations across the world. His awards include International Union of Forestry Research Organization’s Scientific Achievement Award, International Society of Arboriculture’s L.C. Chadwick Award for Arboricultural Research and R.W. Harris Author’s Citation, J. Sterling Morton Award – Arbor Day Foundation’s highest honor, U.S. EPA Office of Research and Development Honor Award, American Forests Urban Forest Medal, Distinguished Science Award: Northeastern Research Station, and Cecil Konijnendijk Award for Outstanding Research on Urban Forestry and Urban Greening. He was also a contributing member of Noble Peace Prize winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. He is ranked in the top 1% of all scientists (all fields) globally and ranked #2 among 24,000+ forest researchers worldwide.

Affiliations and expertise
Emeritus Senior Scientist, Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis, U.S. Forest Service, USA