Chicago urban forest
The City of Chicago is harnessing the potential of trees to reduce the impact of heatwaves by developing and implementing a strategic management plan for its ‘urban forest’.
Photo by City of Chicago - Department of Planning and Development
An in-depth analysis of existing tree coverage showed that the areas with the lowest coverage suffered most during heatwaves. This enabled the city authorities to develop an evidence-based tree management system which treats the urban forest as a vital part of Chicago’s infrastructure.
Rather than considering trees individually and only in terms of their aesthetic impact, the new system views trees as part of a city-wide system that can provide a range of functional and cost-effective environmental benefits
CABE and Urban Practitioners
with the cities of Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield