A_Washington + J_Ginn

Urban Ecosystem Health

The history of the industrialized world has largely been one of ecosystem decline–of deforestation, pollution, reckless development, and overuse of natural resources leading to a catastrophic loss of biodiversity in both plant and animal species. In urban environments, the existing ecosystem has often been crowded out and paved over, but these settings offer a poignant opportunity to reintegrate human systems with the natural world, reversing habitat loss and creating a healthier urban landscape for residents of all species. These interventions affect young children and the elderly, in particular, because of their ability to improve air quality and moderate temperature, but urban green space is also correlated with lower rates of violence, less energy use, higher property values, better rainwater management, and a reduction in the city’s heat island effect. 

In Eugene, where the urban forest currently includes over 76,000 trees, recent decades have seen the urban canopy in slow but steady decline, “losing about 1% of its tree canopy cover every year.” To combat this loss, the city is engaged in an extensive tree-planting strategy, which aims to increase tree canopy from covering 22% of the urban environment to 30% by 2030, focusing planting efforts on addressing “quality of life disparities in historically underserved neighborhoods” based on heat, health, and socio-economic factors. Alongside this strategy to increase total canopy coverage, it is important to monitor and maintain Eugene’s existing urban ecosystems as a strong foundation for enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem services. This work is particularly important in its effect on Eugene’s children because air quality is an important factor in their healthy development, and this ecosystem will one day be their inheritance. Additionally, children inhabit a critical phase of cognitive development and exert huge influence over the actions of their families, meaning their understanding of the interconnectedness of human and natural systems presents an incredible opportunity with broad implications for the future of this city.

Theoretical Framework: 

Ecosystem Health → Tree & soil health (Jenny) → Soil compaction

                                                                              → Root exposure

                              → Biodiversity (Antonia)       → Plant species variety

                                                                              → Distance between green zones