A “global garden” is possible: urban and rural life, and forestry

Abstract

Not only is there empirical evidence of the nexus between forests and human life, but it is also the subject of multidisciplinary studies involving professionals from many different disciplines: foresters, architects, sociologists, urban planners, rural policymakers and even psychologists. If the human population continues to grow, the world’s forests will exist only in the framework of societal needs. The world’s forests play a multifaceted and fundamental role both in urban and rural areas, in productive and environmental realms. Thus, global attention is required for devising effective for- estry policy, even if it appears utopian. Humans can cultivate the entire planet, but in the long term should support an intrinsic millennial perspective for nature and biology, in relation to both cultivated (urban and rural) and uncultivated lands. Ultimately, the globe is a small and fragile “garden” and sus- tainable development will be possible by embracing the “technocentric” vision of sustainability. The main forest product worldwide is still roundwood, which provides revenue for landowners and workers. However, the non-market benefits provided by forests are fundamental in both the country and the city, and could alleviate the dire environmental conditions in urban areas, where the majority of the world’s people are already living. A global governance of sustainability can support the world’s forests, and all natural resources, only by taking into account human numbers

Greening Sydney: attitudes, barriers and opportunities for tree planting

“…Economic aspects of the urban forest add positively to the attractiveness of a city as well as its quality of life, employment and investment (City of Sydney 2013). Street trees and green areas enrich neighbourhood aesthetics and visual frames (Tyrväinen et al 2005), increasing property values (Pandit et al 2013), residential sales prices (Pandit et al 2014) and job opportunities (Corinto 2014). For example, it is estimated that properties in tree-lined streets are valued around 30 per cent higher than those in streets without trees (Sander, Polasky & Haight 2010) in agreement with the positive relationship between local tree cover and households' prices (Holmes, Murphy & Bell 2006).…”

“…Urban forests are complex ecosystems that provide a broad and dynamic range of interrelated benefits and services (Vesely 2007, Corinto 2014, Dilley & Wolf 2013, Johnston & Hirons 2014. In general, the urban forest provides socio-economic and environmental services to the community (Tarran 2009, James et al 2009 and enhances resilience while reducing urbanisation's ecological and social impacts (Young 2011).…”

“…Nowadays the urban forestry concept is related to urban sustainability embracing both private and public stakeholders within an integrated management of the urban forest (Davison & Kirkpatrick 2014, Corinto 2014. However, the application of any practical solution involving communities is rather limited, as is the application in urban forestry planning (APA 2009).…”