It has been increasingly recognized that trees and vegetation in urban areas provide a number of ecological services beyond beautifying cities. This book takes an international approach to sharing knowledge about the management of urban forests that has been learned through studies in many different regions. This allows the reader to evaluate methods and management that are appropriate for particular geographic, environmental and socio-political contexts. Urban forests are also approached on regional and landscape scales to encompass more natural environments in and around cities, rather than within arbitrary municipal boundaries. The studies provided are intended to motivate scientists, planners, and managers to work together and to adopt a broader landscape ecology approach to urban forestry, and in so doing, better address the pressing needs for improving the quality of life in urban environments.

Perspectives and Approaches in Urban Forestry.- Introduction: The Growth of Cities and Urban Forestry.- Toward a Landscape Ecology of Cities: Beyond Buildings, Trees, and Urban Forests.- Principles for Guiding Eco-City Development.- A Multiple-Indicators Approach to Monitoring Urban Sustainable Development.- Assessment and Valuation of the Ecosystem Services Provided by Urban Forests.- Benefits of Urban Green Space for Improving Urban Climate.- Applying Ecosystem Management to Urban Forestry.- Approaches to Urban Forestry in the United Kingdom.- Opportunities and Alternatives for Enhancing Urban Forests in Compact Cities in Developing Countries.- Urban Ecology Studies in China, with an Emphasis on Shanghai.- Using the Urban-Rural Gradient Approach to Determine the Effects of Land Use on Forest Remnants.- A Philosophical Basis for Restoring Ecologically Functioning Urban Forests: Current Methods and Results.- Planning, Managing, and Restoring Urban Forests.- Strategic Planning for Urban Woodlands in North West England.- Landscape Corridors in Shanghai and Their Importance in Urban Forest Planning.- Management of Urban Forests in the United States.- The Urban Forest of Nanjing City: Key Characteristics and Management Assessment.- Urban Forest Structure in Hefei, China.- Forests and Forestry in Hesse, Germany: Meeting the Challenge of Multipurpose Forestry.- Experiences in the Management of Urban Recreational Forests in Germany.- Modeling the Social Benefits of Urban Parks for Users.- Potential Leaf Area Index Analyses for the City of Toronto's Urban Forest.- Spatial and Temporal Change of Urban Vegetation Distribution in Beijing.- Long-Term Observations of Secondary Forests Growing on Hard-Coal Mining Spoils in the Industrial Ruhr Region of Germany.- Selection ofPollution-Tolerant Trees for Restoration of Degraded Forests and Evaluation of the Experimental Restoration Practices at the Ulsan Industrial Complex, Korea.- Restoration Planning for the Seoul Metropolitan Area, Korea.- The Construction of Near-Natural Forests in the Urban Areas of Shanghai.- Synthesis and Directions for Future Research, Planning, and Implementation.- Urban Forestry and the Eco-City: Today and Tomorrow.