Ten-Year
Progress Overview

Americans Understand Threats Facing American Forests

Public awareness and understanding around the need for and benefits of urban and community forestry is one of the greatest opportunities for support for improving the health of urban forestry in the coming decade.  Based on a nationwide survey of voters to assess key public perceptions and values related to forests, voters report strongly valuing the nation's forests for its sources of clean air and water (Public Opinion Strategies, 2011).

92%

92 percent of voters surveyed believe that helping to keep the air clean is at least a “very” important benefit of forests, including 58 percent who believe it is “extremely” important.

91%

A nearly identical 91 percent of voters assign similar importance to forests’ role in filtering water to keep it clean.

67%

Two-thirds of voters (67 percent) say they live within ten miles of a forest or wooded area.

60%

At least three in five voters see major threats to forests from wildfire, development, and insects and diseases.

Urban and Community Forestry Progress Overview
(Amount and percent change between 2005 and 2014)

8,710

2005

2014

Percent Change

-66%

5,062

69%

2,996

5,708

53%

3,729

4.3M

1.5M

$19.8M

-24%

$15.1M

7,256

49%

4,867

58%

5,511

Number of Volunteer Hours Logged

Number of Communities with Management Plans

Number of Communities with Professional Forestry Staff

Federal  Funding ($)

Number of Communities with Advocacy/Advisory Organizations

Number of Communities with Ordinances/Policies

Figure 1: USDA Forest Service Federal Program: Urban and Community Forestry Assistance Program, Community Accomplishment Report System for Urban and Community Forestry (CARS)