ContextUrban parks provide critical ecological, health, and social bene ts, constituting a substantial proportion of urban tree canopy (UTC) within a given city. As cities set ambitious UTC targets, it is critical to understand the social drivers of UTC changes in parks.
ObjectivesWe sought to uncover the feedbacks between social processes, including historical events, and park UTC in a post-industrial city that experienced substantial population loss and urban park disinvestment.
MethodsOur mixed-methods approach involved quantifying spatiotemporal UTC changes and connecting those changes to historical management practices for three parks in Philadelphia, PA (US). We delineated UTC using aerial imagery between 1959 and 2018, and synthesized information from archival records and semi-structured interviews about historical management practices.
ResultsWe found substantial UTC gains between 1959 and 1980, due to both: (a) budget cuts, mowing cessation, and associated unintended forest emergence; and (b) purposeful tree planting and reforestation activities. While some UTC gains were purposeful, others were unintentional and re ect successional processes on unmaintained lands. Contrary to literature suggesting that nancial investment would lead to UTC gain, we saw declining UTC following an in ux of new funding post-2000 due to construction and ecological restoration.
ConclusionsWe found differing pathways leading to convergent outcomes of UTC gains. Across the three parks, differing historical processes and management goals for park landscapes had important rami cations for UTC. Our work suggests that landscape management could bene t from an improved understanding of how historical processes impact land cover.
Declarations
ContextUrban parks provide critical ecological, health, and social benefits, constituting a substantial proportion of urban tree canopy (UTC) within a given city. As cities set ambitious UTC targets, it is critical to understand the social drivers of UTC changes in parks. ObjectivesWe sought to uncover the feedbacks between social processes, including historical events, and park UTC in a post-industrial city that experienced substantial population loss and urban park disinvestment. Methods Our mixed-methods approach involved quantifying spatiotemporal UTC changes and connecting those changes to historical management practices for three parks in Philadelphia, PA (US). We delineated UTC using aerial imagery between 1959 and 2018, and synthesized information from archival records and semi-structured interviews about historical management practices. ResultsWe found substantial UTC gains between 1959 and 1980, due to both: (a) budget cuts, mowing cessation, and associated unintended forest emergence; and (b) purposeful tree planting and reforestation activities. While some UTC gains were purposeful, others were unintentional and reflect successional processes on unmaintained lands. Contrary to literature suggesting that financial investment would lead to UTC gain, we saw declining UTC following an influx of new funding post-2000 due to construction and ecological restoration. ConclusionsWe found differing pathways leading to convergent outcomes of UTC gains. Across the three parks, differing historical processes and management goals for park landscapes had important ramifications for UTC. Our work suggests that landscape management could benefit from an improved understanding of how historical processes impact land cover.
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