Vibrant Cities Lab

More than 130 million acres of America’s forests are located in our cities and towns. These urban forests include parks, street trees, landscaped boulevards, gardens, river and coastal promenades, nature preserves, shelter belts of trees, and working trees at former industrial sites. Urban forests boost public health, safety, sustainability, and economic growth.

This online hub brings together the best tools and technical information related to urban forests, explaining why trees are essential to healthier, more livable communities and providing the guidance needed to implement urban forestry programs. 

City managers, policymakers, and advocates can use this step-by-step tool to build thriving urban forest programs. County health executives and local hospital systems can learn about the relationship between urban trees and human health, educators can see how tree canopy improves student learning, and local police agencies can learn from other communities where adding urban trees has reduced crime and built community cohesion.