The Role and Value of Trees in Urban Landscapes

Dear Colleagues,

According to the 17 SDGs of the UN Agenda for 2030, it is important to spread the culture of sustainable development in society by ending the loss of biodiversity, and preserving and restoring ecosystems to improve the provision of ecosystem services.

The current projection of the growth of the urban population poses critical challenges from the socio-ecosystem perspective; at the same time, there are plenty of opportunities to design and define more livable and resilient cities.

Urban systems are characterized by a high population density, extensive land use change, and use of natural resources which are often not locally present. Therefore, the ecological features of the landscape are generally highly altered, including the modification of biogeochemical cycles at the local and global levels, the loss of biodiversity, the diffusion of alien species, and the pollution of water, air, and soil.

Green infrastructure (GI), which is a strategically planned network of natural and semi-natural areas with other environmental features, provides a wide range of ecosystem services such as water purification, air quality improvement, space for recreation, and climate mitigation and adaptation. Vegetation, and tree species in particular, is effective in reducing air pollution levels. Furthermore, urban trees mitigate urban heat islands and the related health risks. The European Union identified nature-based solutions as fundamental actions to counteract the current challenges of climate change and air pollution, with the ambition to plant at least 3 billion trees across the EU by 2030.

This Special Issue aims to highlight the role and value of urban and periurban forests in improving environmental quality and the wellbeing of citizens.

Prof. Dr. Fausto Manes
Dr. Alessandro Sebastiani
Guest Editors

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• global change
• urban and periurban forests
• regulating ecosystem services
• green infrastructure
• nature-based solutions
• human health and wellbeing
• air pollution
• urban heat island
• structural and functional plant biodiversity
• remote sensing and GIS