Urban Forests

A Natural History of Trees and People in the American Cityscape

By: Jill Jonnes

Narrated by: Coleen Marlo

As nature's largest and longest-lived creations, trees play an extraordinarily important role in our cities; they are living landmarks that define space, cool the air, soothe our psyches, and connect us to nature and our past. Today, four-fifths of Americans live in or near urban areas, surrounded by millions of trees of hundreds of different species. Despite their ubiquity and familiarity, most of us take trees for granted and know little of their fascinating natural history or remarkable civic virtues.

Jill Jonnes's Urban Forests tells the captivating stories of the founding mothers and fathers of urban forestry, in addition to those arboreal advocates presently using the latest technologies to illuminate the value of trees to public health and to our urban infrastructure. The book examines such questions as the character of American urban forests and the effect that tree-rich landscaping might have on commerce, crime, and human well-being. For amateur botanists, urbanists, environmentalists, and policymakers, Urban Forests will be a revelation of one of the greatest, most productive, and most beautiful of our natural resources.

©2016 Jill Jonnes (P)2019 Tantor

Critic reviews

“In Urban Forests, Jill Jonnes extols the many contributions that trees make to city life . . . [and] celebrates [the] men and women who stood up for America’s city trees over the past two centuries. . . . Ms. Jonnes offers an authoritative and admirably nontechnical account of the past, present and future of our cities’ trees.” (Gerard Helferich, The Wall Street Journal)

Spilling the tea on the urban tree

Makes dry material digestible. Didn’t know I cared about petty feuds between arborists, but I do now

Comprehensive and entertaining

This is exactly what I was looking for, giving an entertaining and complete history of the trees in our cities, how they got here, and insight into compositions and selections of species. Super well written, with just enough information to appeal to fairly well versed readers, and digestible enough for those with a passing interest in the trees in their cities.

Beetles and fungi

I was hoping for more on urban forest ecology. This book focuses on the experts and activists who have shaped urban forestry. Still it was interesting enough to keep me listening. To publish a book like this, I think keeping things cozy fuzzy and PC is a requirement. This may give some people a warm feel, but after a while, others may start feeling mildly nauseated. If someone is thinking of making a career of urban forestry, this book will certainly encourage them. The activists and experts are all heroes or heroines.