Knowra Street tree Street tree A street tree is a tree planted along a road or in its associated public space. It grows amid infrastructure and public use, often in a restricted planting site.
Urban heat island : The tendency for built-up areas to be warmer than surrounding rural areas. Street-tree shade and evapotranspiration can reduce heat exposure along paved streets.
Tree canopy : The collective branches and foliage forming the upper crown of a tree. Canopy size determines much of a street tree’s shade and interception of rain.
Urban tree stress : Physiological strain on trees caused by conditions common in built environments. Heat, drought, salt, and restricted roots can weaken roadside trees.
Ecosystem services : Benefits that people obtain from ecosystems, including regulating, provisioning, and cultural benefits. Street trees provide a compact urban example of multiple ecosystem services.
MillionTreesNYC : A New York City initiative launched in 2007 to plant one million trees by 2017. Its campaign combined street planting with trees in parks and other city spaces.
Urban forestry : The planning and management of trees and forests in and around cities. Street trees are a visible part of the broader urban tree resource.
Tree roots : The underground organs that anchor a tree and absorb water and nutrients. Roots must function in compacted, confined soils beneath streets and sidewalks.
Soil compaction : The compression of soil that reduces pore space and restricts water, air, and root movement. Foot traffic and construction can compact street-tree soils and limit root function.
Environmental justice : The fair distribution of environmental benefits and burdens and meaningful participation in decisions. Unequal tree canopy can mirror wider disparities in neighborhood resources and heat exposure.
Million Trees Los Angeles : A Los Angeles initiative begun in 2006 to plant one million trees across the city. The program illustrates large-scale municipal planting in a hot, water-limited region.
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