occurrence. With the arrival of winter, the group used
Zoom calls to great success, launching a regular series
of monthly virtual meet-ups that feature ten different
useful species and how to prepare them as meals.
A recent unpublished analysis of Philadelphia's urban
forest found that of the 87 distinct tree species iden-
tified in a U.S. Forest Service assessment (Nowak
et al. 2016), more than 80% (72 species) had docu-
mented uses, whether as foods, medicines, or for
craft-related purposes (Hurley et al. In review). The
study found that 50 of these species corresponded
to the documented harvesting and educational
activities of the Wild Foodies group. Some species,
such as Mulberry (Morus spp.), American linden
(Tilia americana), and Hickories (Carya spp.) remain
more prized than others, but these results suggest
that urban foragers may be interested in har-
vests from a wider range of species found in cities
than arborists or urban forest managers realize.
Opportunities to support
sustainable urban foraging
As the Atlanta and Philadelphia examples illustrate,
there are opportunities for arborists and urban
foresters to make the benefits of sustainable for-
aging available to the residents of the cities they
serve. Asking strategic questions and thinking in
terms of spaces, species, times, and techniques
can help promote good outcomes for people
while avoiding harm to urban ecosystems. >>
Visitors to Atlanta's Cascade Springs Nature Preserve, an urban forest patch containing
numerous wild edibles. Photo by Cassandra Johnson Gaither, USDA Forest Service
urban-forestry.com 17
