Effects of Urbanization on the Conservation Value of Forests

Principal Investigator: Steven Frank, Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, NC State University
Proposed Project Completion: October 2020. This project has now been completed.
Implements Science Plan Theme: Impacts

Overview

Cities and suburbs are growing in size throughout the U.S. and particularly in the Southeast. As cities and suburbs expand they encroach upon preserved areas, like national wildlife refuges, and divide forests into smaller pieces. Forests next to cities and suburbs are exposed to high temperatures, pollution, insect pests, exotic plants, and other things that can threaten forest health. Unfortunately, land managers do not have information about how these urban factors affect native plants and animals, including threatened and endangered species, that call forests home. We synthesized existing scientific knowledge about the effects of urbanization, particularly the urban heat island effect, to inform management decisions and to achieve conservation goals. Our synthesis will result in scientific papers describing effects of urbanization on forests, with dissemination of relevant findings to land managers in other formats. This project identified knowledge gaps and areas where new research is critical. We cannot rely on a few large, pristine, and protected forests to fulfill the nation’s conservation goals. This project informs the role that urban forests can play.