With 80% of the U.S. population now living in urban or urbanizing
areas, the ecological, economic, and social benefits that urban trees
and forests provide are more important than ever (Gulick, 2014).
Adding urgency to this is the fact that urban lands—defined as the
"highest concentrations of [where] people reside"—are expected
to more than double between 2010-2060; this changing landscape
will challenge our urban forests to create more essential benefits to
sustain human health and environmental quality (Nowak, 2018).
Indiana, a largely conservative state in the Rust Belt, has felt this
challenge keenly. Following the recession of 2009, many commu-
nities dropped their urban forestry programs. The post-industrial
communities of Northwest Indiana were hit especially hard (Hauer
et al, 2015). Struggling to recover after many of Indiana's steel
and oil refinery complexes closed in the 1980s, the 2009 reces-
sion almost proved a killing blow. Communities were already
dealing with residential vacancies greater than 15% and poverty
rates as high as 36% (Vogt, 2018). There was little time or energy
to focus on trees. However, Hoosiers are no strangers to hard
work—but the key is to also work smart. Enter CommuniTree. >>
Indiana
Success Story:
By Andrea Nichols, Northern Indiana
Public Service Company (NIPSCO)
Supervisor of Forestry Operations
24 CityTREES
