Saturday, October 31, 2009

From tree to green, urban forest plan takes root; Edmonton, Canada

From tree to green, urban forest plan takes root:Edmonton's urban forest could sprout a slightly different look under the city's first management plan expected by the end of the year.People are used to thinking about the city's 'grey' infrastructure, such as sewers and roads, but this 'green' infrastructure is also important and worth managing, said Jenny Wheeler, Edmonton's principal of forestry.The urban forest acts as a wind break, cools the city in the summer, cleans the air and stormwater, and also has a positive impact on people psychologically, she said.The forest management plan will collect information on what's already growing in the city, a critical update that will help the city plan future planting.