Streams and forests are connected ecosystems, but few studies have looked at the connectivity between streams and forests in urban environments. City-made decisions affect connections between streams and forests by isolating both streams and forests. Streams are often channelized or buried to reduce flooding and increase potential developable areas. Forests become fragmented and are removed unless they are protected by public ownership, private ownership, or mixed governance arrangements. Historical choices in land usage affect the sites and sizes of current urban streams, forests, and development. This affects the distribution of impervious surfaces, a ubiquitous urban land cover type, which separates streams from forests. Despite these barriers to stream/forest interactions, cities can experience stream/forest connectivity. Seven Bloomington watersheds are ranked on their proportions of buried streams, channelized streams, forested hydrology, forested streams, urban forest patch cover, and impervious surface cover, along with historical presence of urbanization. Several watersheds demonstrate stream/forest connectivity, with five of these watersheds containing 50% or greater forested stream segments. Bloomington canopy cover reduces stormwater runoff by approximately 127 kiloliters per year. These forested areas reduce flooding, reduce nutrient loading, and reduce stream conditions associated with urban stream syndrome. Streams provide incentive for forest protection, aesthetic value, and recreational value. Understanding urban stream/forest connectivity can improve green infrastructure design and green space design, which improves urban resilience and better connects residents to the environment.

Streams and forests are ecosystems connected through hydrology, but few studies have looked at the connectivity between streams and forests in the context of urban development. City-made decisions affect connections between streams and forests by isolating both ecosystems. Streams are often channelized or buried to increase potential development areas. Forests often become fragmented and may be removed unless protected. Historical choices in land usage affect the sites and sizes of current urban streams, forests, and development. This affects the distribution of impervious surfaces, which separates streams from forests. Despite these barriers to stream/forest interactions, cities can experience stream/forest connectivity. Seven Bloomington watersheds are ranked on their proportions of buried streams, channelized streams, forested hydrology, forested streams, urban forest patch cover, and impervious surface cover, along with the historical presence of urbanization. Watersheds demonstrate stream/forest connectivity, with five watersheds containing 50% or greater forested stream segments. Bloomington canopy cover reduces stormwater runoff by approximately 127 kiloliters per year. These forested areas reduce flooding, reduce nutrient loading, and reduce stream conditions associated with urban stream syndrome. Understanding urban stream/forest connectivity can improve green infrastructure design and green space design, which improve urban resilience and better connect residents to the environment.

Streams and forests are connected ecosystems, but few studies have looked at the connectivity between streams and forests in urban environments. City-made decisions affect connections between streams and forests by isolating both streams and forests. Streams are often channelized or buried to reduce flooding and increase potential developable areas. Forests become fragmented and are removed unless they are protected by public ownership, private ownership, or mixed governance arrangements. Historical choices in land usage affect the sites and sizes of current urban streams, forests, and development. This affects the distribution of impervious surfaces, a ubiquitous urban land cover type, which separates streams from forests. Despite these barriers to stream/forest interactions, cities can experience stream/forest connectivity. Seven Bloomington watersheds are ranked on their proportions of buried streams, channelized streams, forested hydrology, forested streams, urban forest patch cover, and impervious surface cover, along with historical presence of urbanization. Several watersheds demonstrate stream/forest connectivity, with five of these watersheds containing 50% or greater forested stream segments. Bloomington canopy cover reduces stormwater runoff by approximately 127 kiloliters per year. These forested areas reduce flooding, reduce nutrient loading, and reduce stream conditions associated with urban stream syndrome. Streams provide incentive for forest protection, aesthetic value, and recreational value. Understanding urban stream/forest connectivity can improve green infrastructure design and green space design, which improves urban resilience and better connects residents to the environment.

Background: Urban green spaces are increasingly seen as vital resources contributing to ecological and social health. The ecological concept of patch dynamics over space, scale, and time applies to patches in urban settings and is important in understanding the complexity of relationships between and within the ecological and social spheres interacting in urban settings. Methods: This case study investigates forested and natural patches on Indiana University’s Bloomington (IUB) campus. Data gathered through university archives includes historical maps and campus plans for a study period beginning in 1884 with the university’s relocation to its current area. Documents were reviewed forevidence of patches being labeled or left blank. Historic aerial photos were compared with present satellite imagery using geographic information system (GIS) software. Results: Findings include patterns where patches were indicated on maps (1902 to early 1940s), followed by a period where natural/forested areas were unindicated on maps (post-World War II to 1960s), followed by patches reappearing on maps and being suggested for preservation (1960s to present). Although some natural patches were “lost” during the study period, others persisted. Patches that endured may be defined as Commons: shared resources protected by formal/informal rule processes. Conclusions: This novel framework for the IUB patch project serves as a template for use in investigating green patches in the city of Bloomington. The Bloomington project builds upon the IUB framework, expanding GIS analysis of current patches and historical imagery, and assessing current ecological patch condition. Additional considerations reflect complexity of municipal settings and include patch ownership, socio-demographics, and equitability in access.