Summary of “The Importance of Urban Forests”

 In 2016, Amy Fleming, in an article for The Guardian, titled: “Why money really does grows on trees.” explores the diverse dependencies humans have on forestry, specifically in urban cities, where 50% of the world’s population resides. 

Amy thoroughly examines the ecological, socio-economic and psychological findings in relation to the impact of tree populations in our cities, along with the sociological effects on the environment that we’re facing in today’s world.

In Amy’s research she asserts that trees are financially and ecologically interwoven with areas such as our clean air supply, reduced flooding and “air-born pollutants” (Fleming) Trees also significantly decrease air conditioning usage, where she states “[t]rees can cool cities by between 2C to 8C.” (Fleming). 

We also see through her findings, when there are more trees in cities, anaylitical studies have shown a decrease in depression and anxiety, an “improve[d] health perception” (qtd. Berman) and astounding correlations between trees and healthy babies as well as reduced “mortality from circulatory diseases.” (qtd. Mitchell)

These vital connections that Amy so thoroughly highlights reveals the astronomical consequences to human beings in our urban communities, if we do not proactively tackle threats like “disease and shrinking municipal budgets.”(qtd. Jones) We must do everything we can to educate, learn and honour our trees for our future and generations to come. 

Fleming, Amy. “Why money really does grows on trees.” The Guardian, 12 October, 2016, https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/oct/12/ importance-urban-forests-money-grow-trees