Most people don’t associate cities with trees, but urban areas are actually dependent on healthy forests.

Trees within cities reduce heat, provide spaces for recreation and socialization, and increase property values. Nearby trees in the watersheds around cities filter drinking water and help prevent flooding and landslides. Even forests hundreds or thousands of miles away from a city still play a role in its health; these lands are essential for generating rain for the world’s farm belts, curbing climate change, and providing wood and other commodities.