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| Milwaukee’s
Urban Ecological Analysis is a summary of the city’s urban forest management.
The survey was done by American Forests in 1996, and according to the results,
Milwaukee’s tree canopy cover is estimated at 16%. The target range
for a well-canopied urban area is a 30% to 40% canopy. |
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| In
the study, researchers found that Milwaukee’s existing tree canopy
cover reduces storm water flow by up to 22% and provides the city with an
estimated $17.5 million in environmental benefits. With a higher tree canopy,
these benefits can only increase. |
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| The
primary ways the city benefits from the tree canopy are storm water management,
energy conservation, and air quality control. Flooding and storm water runoff
problems can be further reduced by increasing tree cover and reducing impervious
surfaces (i.e. paved areas). |
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| Every
species of tree has advantages and disadvantages. Overall, the strength
of the forest is maximized by the selection of a wide variety of species
appropriate for the location. |
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| Managed
Land |
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| Of
all available land in the city, 20% is managed by the City of Milwaukee.
The other 80% of the land is on private/other public property. The City
of Milwaukee’s land is at 98% of planting capacity, creating the need
to pursue canopy growth and manage diversity on private and other public
land. |
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| City-managed
land is categorized as: |
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streets
and rights-of-way |
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boulevards |
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other
city-owned property (green spaces and buffers). |
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| Non-city-managed
land is categorized as: |
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industrial
areas |
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commercial
property |
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residential
areas |
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parks |
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