City Trees is a premier publication focused on urban + community forestry. In each issue, you’ll learn how to best manage the trees in your community and more!
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/701610
www.urban-forestry.com 23 Arizona's major population centers are Phoenix (and surround- ing communities), Tucson, Yuma, Flagstaff, Lake Havasu City, and Casa Grande. Phoenix is currently the 6th largest commu- nity in the country with a population of 1,513,367. The Phoenix metro, including other communities in the Valley, is home to more than two-thirds of Arizona's total population. The other one-third of Arizona's population is distributed widely in rural areas throughout the state, including on Tribal reservations and in unincorporated communities that rely on county governments for services. Another way to visualize the population density is that 85% of Arizona's population is located within three coun- ties (out of 15). So what does all of this have to do with urban for- est management in Arizona? Arizona's diversity (both in biotic community and population centers) presents an atypical challenge to urban forestry man- agement. Predicted climate change for the southwest region of the country further exacerbates that challenge. Based on climate predictions for the next 50 years, the Southwest is likely to experience warmer winter temperatures, less snowfall, extreme and lengthy droughts, and more unpredictable severe storms (monsoons). The resulting challenges for urban forest management will include: reduced water availability for irriga- tion through reduced snowpack and stream flow; increased tree stress due to reduced water availability; increased heat island effects in communities; reduction of suitable species for planting; potential for the spread of invasive species that adapt quickly; and increased tree damage potential due to severe storms. Predicted climate change will also likely have social implica- tions for Arizona communities that compound urban forest management challenges. Predominantly poor and/or elderly communities and small/rural communities will likely be affected more severely than large communities because of the lack of available resources for emergency response. Tribal communities may also face greater risks because of remote locations and under-developed infrastructure. Other social dynamics that are likely to impact urban forest management include: migration of citizens to urban centers/increased community populations (resulting in more requests for services); loss of traditional/ cultural knowledge regarding food trees (care, harvesting tech- niques, etc.) because of loss of trees due to drought or storms; reduced funding available for tree maintenance and planting; and harsher/hotter daily working conditions for practitioners. Overcoming impediments and planning for the future The Arizona Urban and Community Forestry program aims to help communities and local stakeholders deal with these large- Arizona State Forestry provided funding to Watershed Management Group (WMG) to develop and host green infrastructure trainings in multiple communities. Rainwater harvesting—through installation of basins and swales—combined with green infrastructure (installa- tion of trees, forbs, and grasses) can dramatically reduce stormwater runoff and improve water quality. Photo courtesy of Watershed Management Group