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urban forest encompasses all trees in and close to urban areas, including
trees in streets, gardens, parks, small and larger woodlands, cemeteries
and other open spaces. In recent years there has been a growing interest
in maintaining and extending urban forests as the benefits of trees in
urban areas becomes better understood and their benefits for a healthy
and sustainable city environment appreciated. These trees and woodlands
are invaluable for a number of reasons; they provide wildlife habitats,
screening, noise reduction, dust traps, storing of greenhouse gases, summer
cooling, shelter, recreation and provide corridors to other wildlife areas.
Wood production can also be a fringe benefit. There are also less tangible
benefits of trees in urban environments: contact with nature and seasons,
peace and tranquillity, relief from stress and raising sense of pride
of place and selfworth. |
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It
has been widely acknowledged that publicly owned trees need to be managed
with the community, not for them, and local involvement is an essential
element of recent urban forestry projects. It is well recorded for example
that local participation in design and tree planting events reduces levels
of vandalism. In addition, through community projects residents develop
a greater awareness, appreciation and sense of responsibility for their
trees. |
The
Edinburgh Urban Forest Strategy
Following a comprehensive analysis of Edinburgh's woods and trees in the
early 1990s, the Edinburgh Urban Forestry Strategy identified a dwindling
and even aged tree resource. It highlighted the need to increase the overall
tree population, to protect existing woodland, increase community and
private sector involvement and promote the economic, cultural and social
value of the city's trees and woodland. With limited resources available,
the creation of new woodlands was initially slow, although the Tree Preservation
Order programme was stepped up, however from 1995 funding became available
from the Millennium Forest for Scotland.
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The
Millennium Forest for Scotland Trust
was established in 1995. It was a visionary initiative to use over £12m
of National Lottery funding from the Millennium Commission for the purpose
of restoring and regenerating native woodlands throughout Scotland. The
aims of the initiative, however, were to go beyond the simple increase
of native woodland habitats to the re-establishment of social, cultural
and economic links between people and woodlands. Local authorities, charities,
community groups and individuals were invited to submit applications for
funding.
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