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A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Urban Forestry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 October 2025) | Viewed by 12525

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Simona Aprile

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Guest Editor

Research Center for Plant Protection and Certification, Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, C/O DIPARTIMENTO SAAF UNIPA, Viale delle Scienze, 4, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Interests: urban ecology; plant protection against abiotic stresses; valorization of mediterranean plant germplasm; urban greening and green roof; native mediterranean shrubs; thermal, hydric, and salt stress; halophytes; sedum; xerophytes

Dr. Manuel Esperon-Rodriguez

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Guest Editor

Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW 2753, Australia
Interests: climate change; vulnerability; plant ecophysiology; ecology; species distribution modelling; urban ecology
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Urban forests and urban green spaces are an integral part of urban ecosystems. They can provide important ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, air pollution control, microclimate and urban water runoff regulation, urban biodiversity enhancement, and recreation. These ecosystem services can make a concrete contribution to improving quality of life and sustainable urban development. Despite a long history of landscaping and urban greening worldwide, the specific functions, agronomical, forestry, and technological aspects, the evaluation methodologies, and the environmental, social, and other benefits of urban forests and urban greening require up-to-date scientific studies and exchange of research experiences. For example, an under-explored and highly topical area of multidisciplinary research is "humane psychophysical well-being“regarding plant-human interaction at the urban scale.

This Special Issue invites contributions and reports new research and findings on the ecology and innovation aspects of urban forests and urban green spaces and their sustainable management. The focus of the studies may be broad, ranging from the agronomic response of plants to specific stress factors or the enhancement of their capacity to mitigate even the effects of climate change to the evaluation of new technologies and management methodologies. Studies on entomology, pathology of urban green spaces and forests, and plant–human interactions at the urban scale are also welcome.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

Impacts of urban forests and urban greening on air, soil, and water;
Urban greening strategies to increase biodiversity and ecological value in cities;
Sustainable practices and technologies for urban forestry and urban greening;
Innovative approaches to plant and canopy management in urban areas;
Innovative approaches to plant pest management in urban environments;
Designing urban forests and green spaces to promote ecological balance;
Integrating urban green spaces to enhance biodiversity corridors;
Entomofauna in urban environments;
Ecosystem services provided by urban forests;
Carbon balance in urban forests;
The benefit of urban forests to urban climate.

Dr. Simona Aprile
Dr. Manuel Esperon-Rodriguez
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

climate change
parks
gardens
green roofs
green infrastructures
vegetal ground cover

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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29 pages, 11531 KB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Urban Greenery on Microclimate Across Temporal and Spatial Scales

by Isidora Simović, Mirjana Radulović, Jelena Dunjić, Stevan Savić and Ivan Šećerov

Forests 2025, 16(11), 1729; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16111729 - 14 Nov 2025

Viewed by 292

Abstract

This study investigates the influence of urban greenery on microclimate conditions in Novi Sad, a city characterized by a temperate oceanic climate, by integrating high-resolution remote sensing data with in situ measurements from 12 urban climate stations. Sentinel-2 imagery was used to capture vegetation patterns, including tree lines and small green patches, while air temperature data were collected across two climatically contrasting years. Vegetation extent and structural characteristics were quantified using NDVI thresholds (0.6–0.8), capturing variability in vegetation activity and canopy density. Results indicate that high-activity vegetation, particularly dense tree canopies, exerts the strongest cooling effects, significantly influencing air temperatures up to 750 m from measurement sites, whereas total green area alone showed no significant effect. Cooling effects were most pronounced during summer and autumn, with temperature reductions of up to 2 °C in areas dominated by mature trees. Diurnal–nocturnal analyses revealed consistent spatial cooling patterns, while seasonal variability highlighted the role of evergreen and deciduous composition. Findings underscore that urban heat mitigation is driven more by vegetation structure and composition than by green area size, emphasizing the importance of preserving high-canopy trees in urban planning. This multidimensional approach provides actionable insights for optimizing urban greenery to enhance microclimate resilience. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Forests and Greening for Sustainable Cities)

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33 pages, 58798 KB

Open AccessArticle

Urban Greening Strategies and Ecosystem Services: The Differential Impact of Street-Level Greening Structures on Housing Prices

by Qian Ji, Shengbei Zhou, Longhao Zhang, Yankui Yuan, Lunsai Wu, Fengliang Tang, Jun Wu, Yufei Meng and Yuqiao Zhang

Forests 2025, 16(11), 1713; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16111713 - 11 Nov 2025

Viewed by 556

Abstract

Street greening is widely recognized as influencing resident well-being and housing prices, and street-view imagery provides a fine-grained data source for quantifying urban microenvironments. However, existing research predominantly relies on single indicators such as the Green View Index (GVI) and overall green coverage/volume lacking a systematic analysis of how the hierarchical structure of trees, shrubs, and grass relates to housing prices. This study examines the high-density block context of Tianjin’s six urban districts. Using the Street Greening Space Structure (SGSS) dataset to construct greening structure configurations, we integrate housing-price data, neighborhood attributes, and 13,280 street-view images from the study area. We quantify how “visibility and hierarchical ratios” are capitalized on in the housing market and identify auditable threshold ranges and contextual gating. We propose an urban–forest structural system centered on visibility and hierarchical ratios that links street-level observability to ecosystem services. Employing an integrated framework combining Geographical-XGBoost (G-XGBoost) and SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP), we move beyond average effects to reveal structural detail and contextual heterogeneity in capitalization. Our findings indicate that tree visibility G_TVI is the most robust and readily capitalized price signal: when G_TVI increases from approximately 0.06 to 0.12–0.16, housing prices rise by about 8%–10%. Hierarchical structure is crucial: balanced tree–shrub ratios and moderate shrub–grass ratios translate “visible green” into functional green. Capitalization effects are environmentally conditioned—more pronounced along corridors with high centrality and accessibility—and are likewise common in dense East Asian metropolises (e.g., Beijing, Shanghai, Seoul, and Tokyo) and rapidly motorizing cities (e.g., Bangkok and Jakarta). These patterns suggest parametric prescriptions that prioritize canopy-corridor continuity and keep ratios within actionable threshold bands. We translate these findings into urban greening strategies that prioritize canopy continuity, under-canopy permeability, and maintainability, providing sustainability-oriented, parameterized guidance for converting urban greening structure into ecological capital for sustainable cities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Forests and Greening for Sustainable Cities)

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21 pages, 11506 KB

Open AccessArticle

Rooftop Greening Units Framework and Design Roadshow with Load-Bearing Capacity for Low-Carbon Urban Renewal

by Zhixiang Zuo, Yiheng Liu, Yufei He, Wenyang Han and Yin Zhang

Forests 2025, 16(11), 1619; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16111619 - 22 Oct 2025

Viewed by 448

Abstract

In the context of urban renewal, rooftop greening in old buildings plays a vital role in reducing carbon emissions and supporting carbon neutrality goals. This study evaluates the carbon capture capacity (T_CO₂) and efficiency (η_CO₂) of rooftop greening under load constraints by developing standardised greening units and mathematical models to quantify CO₂ absorption and self-weight load. Rooftop carbon capture performance is assessed by comparing the quantified T_CO₂ of each unit with the theoretical maximum and calculating overall η_CO₂. Three representative species—Hibiscus mutabilis, Prunus cerasifera ‘Atropurpurea’, and Gardenia jasminoides var. radicans—were examined. In single-planting mode, η_CO₂ was approximately 14% with no significant differences among groups, though T_CO₂ varied considerably, ranging from 6061.32 g·d⁻¹ for Hibiscus mutabilis to 1515.52 g·d⁻¹ for Gardenia jasminoides var. radicans. In mixed planting, η_CO₂ showed greater fluctuation, with species combinations of similar T_CO₂ enhancing efficiency. Findings demonstrate that rooftop greening can effectively expand urban green spaces, improve species diversity, and promote ecological balance, while providing a systematic evaluation framework for low-carbon renovation strategies in urban renewal. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Forests and Greening for Sustainable Cities)

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18 pages, 14975 KB

Open AccessArticle

Precision Carbon Stock Estimation in Urban Campuses Using Fused Backpack and UAV LiDAR Data

by Shijun Zhang, Nan Li, Longwei Li, Yuchan Liu, Hong Wang, Tingting Xue, Jing Ma and Mengyi Hu

Forests 2025, 16(10), 1550; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16101550 - 8 Oct 2025

Viewed by 524

Abstract

Accurate quantification of campus vegetation carbon stocks is essential for advancing carbon neutrality goals and refining urban carbon management strategies. This study pioneers the integration of drone and backpack LiDAR data to overcome limitations in conventional carbon estimation approaches. The Comparative Shortest-Path (CSP) algorithm was originally developed to segment tree crowns from point cloud data, with its design informed by metabolic ecology theory—specifically, that vascular plants tend to minimize the transport distance to their roots. In this study, we deployed the Comparative Shortest-Path (CSP) algorithm for individual tree recognition across 897 campus trees, achieving 88.52% recall, 72.45% precision, and 79.68% F-score—with 100% accuracy for eight dominant species. Diameter at breast height (DBH) was extracted via least-squares circle fitting, attaining >95% accuracy for key species such as Magnolia grandiflora and Triadica sebifera. Carbon storage was calculated through species-specific allometric models integrated with field inventory data, revealing a total stock of 163,601 kg (mean 182.4 kg/tree). Four dominant species—Cinnamomum camphora, Liriodendron chinense, Salix babylonica, and Metasequoia glyptostroboides—collectively contributed 84.3% of total storage. As the first integrated application of multi-platform LiDAR for campus-scale carbon mapping, this work establishes a replicable framework for precision urban carbon sink assessment, supporting data-driven campus greening strategies and climate action planning. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Forests and Greening for Sustainable Cities)

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25 pages, 8118 KB

Open AccessArticle

Mapping Priority Areas for Urban Afforestation Based on the Relationship Between Urban Greening and Social Vulnerability Indicators

by João Vitor Guerrero, Elton Vicente Escobar-Silva, Cláudia Maria de Almeida, Daniel Caiche, Alex Mota dos Santos and Fabrízia Gioppo Nunes

Forests 2025, 16(6), 936; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16060936 - 3 Jun 2025

Viewed by 2268

Abstract

Analyzing the population’s access to ecosystem services offered by urban greening constitutes a measure of environmental justice, as it directly affects the quality of life and health of the population living in cities. This article is committed to proposing a geoenvironmental model in a geographic information system (GIS), envisaged to estimate the share of urban forests and green spaces in territorial planning units (TPUs), corresponding to neighborhoods of a pilot city, using high-spatial-resolution images of the China–Brazil Earth Resources Satellite (CBERS-4A) and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). These data were combined by means of a Boolean analysis with social vulnerability indicators assessed from census data related to income, education, housing, and sanitation. This model ultimately aims to identify priority areas for urban afforestation in the context of environmental justice and is thus targeted to improve the inhabitants’ quality of life. The municipality of Goiânia, the capital of Goiás state, located in the Brazilian Central–West Region, was chosen as the study area for this experiment. Goiânia presents 19.5% of its urban territory (82.36 km²) covered by vegetation. The analyses indicate an inequity in the distribution of urban forest patches and green areas in this town, where 7.8% of the total TPUs have low priority, 28.2% have moderate to low priority, 42.2% have moderate to high priority, and 21.8% have high priority for urban afforestation. This urban greening imbalance is particularly observed in its most urbanized central nuclei, associated with a peripheralization of social vulnerability. These findings are meant to support initiatives towards sound territorial planning processes designed to promote more sustainable and equal development to ensure environmental justice and combat climate change. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Forests and Greening for Sustainable Cities)

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19 pages, 8344 KB

Open AccessArticle

Beat the Heat: Stay or Stray? Exploring the Connection of Extreme Temperature Events, Green Space, and Impervious Surfaces in European Cities

by Wiktor Halecki

Forests 2024, 15(12), 2194; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15122194 - 12 Dec 2024

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1545

Abstract

In urban areas prone to extreme weather, it has become crucial to implement effective strategies to improve living conditions for residents reliant on medical and educational facilities. This research highlighted the importance of urban green spaces in cooling European cities and examined the planning and maintenance of these areas alongside economic losses due to water consumption during heatwaves. Key findings using an SEM (structural equation model) showed that hot summer days indirectly impacted water prices by increasing cumulative temperature days. The confidence interval (0.015, 0.038) confirmed this effect. Additionally, tropical nights indirectly impacted water prices, as shown by the cooling degree days, which indicated the need for air conditioning. The increased use of energy for cooling resulted in higher water prices due to the water required for power generation. This effect was statistically significant, with an estimated value of 0.029 (p < 0.001). A generalized linear model (GLM) indicated an inverse relationship between urban green space and impervious surfaces (slope: −0.69996 ± 0.025561, intercept: 53.675 ± 0.97709, p < 0.01), which was important for reducing impervious surfaces and improving water management, ultimately leading to cooler urban temperatures. Practical recommendations for decision-makers, urban planners, and residents are provided to adapt to changing extreme weather conditions. These include improving the soil environment in current locations and increasing access to green spaces, which can enhance well-being and address health issues. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Forests and Greening for Sustainable Cities)

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24 pages, 1253 KB

Open AccessArticle

The Role of Urban Forest Policies in Driving Green Innovation: Evidence from Chinese Cities

by Xingneng Xia, Yuji Hui, Yaqian Chen and Sheng Zhang

Forests 2024, 15(11), 1913; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15111913 - 30 Oct 2024

Viewed by 1446

Abstract

Urban forest policies have garnered increasing global attention for their critical role in providing key ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, air pollution control, microclimate regulation, and biodiversity enhancement, as well as their potential to drive green innovation and sustainable urban development. This study utilized panel data from 273 Chinese cities between 2000 and 2022, employing a quasi-natural experiment and a difference-in-differences (DID) model to systematically evaluate the impact of the National Forest City Policy (NFCP) on urban green innovation. The results indicate that NFCP significantly enhances urban green innovation, with these findings remaining robust across a series of validation tests. Mechanism analysis revealed that the policy fosters green innovation by increasing environmental attention, facilitating talent aggregation, and reducing carbon emissions. Furthermore, heterogeneity analysis showed that the policy’s effects are more pronounced in small- and medium-sized cities, non-transportation hub cities, and economically developed regions. Based on these findings, this paper offers recommendations for optimizing policy implementation across different city types to further promote sustainable urban green economic development. This study broadens the research perspective on the relationship between urban policies and green innovation, providing more precise decision-making guidance for policymakers while also highlighting the important role urban forests play in enhancing ecosystem services and driving sustainable urban growth. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Forests and Greening for Sustainable Cities)

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23 pages, 7106 KB

Open AccessArticle

Mixed Coniferous Broad-Leaved Forests as Road Shelter Forests: Increased Urban Traffic Noise Reduction Effects and Economic Benefits

by Jiaxuan Liu, Yulun Wu, Haibo Hu and Yuanyuan Feng

Forests 2024, 15(10), 1714; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15101714 - 27 Sep 2024

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2256

Abstract

Establishing road shelter forests is a key method to reduce traffic noise pollution. However, the characteristics of various types of road shelter forests and their effectiveness in reducing traffic noise remain extensively unexplored. This study focused on five types of pure road shelter forests (PFs) and one type of mixed coniferous broad-leaved forest (MCBLF). By conducting field noise monitoring and spectrum simulations, we analyzed average mass density, additional noise reduction and economic benefits. With a forest belt width of 60 m, the MCBLF reduced additional noise by 6.6 dB(A). Additionally, Forest height, crown shape, average mass density and noise frequency were all positively linked to noise reduction. The width of shelter forests was the main factor affecting noise reduction. Linear regression analysis results showed that cumulative mass surface density was a significant factor in noise reduction (p < 0.01, R² = 0.93). Furthermore, the type and composition of the shelter forest had indirect effects on noise reduction. The MCBLF had better noise-reducing effects compared to both broad-leaved PFs and needle-leaved PFs due to its more complex structure. Interestingly, as the forest belt became wider, the noise reduction benefits per unit area decreased, implying that a 10 m wide forest belt offered higher economic returns. Considering that a 10 m wide shelter forest belt did not meet noise reduction requirements. This study suggested that the 20 m wide MCBLF was an optimal choice as an urban road shelter forest, providing both effective noise reduction and maximized economic benefits. Our findings provide a basis for the construction and sustainable development of road shelter forests with noise reduction functions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Forests and Greening for Sustainable Cities)

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Review

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25 pages, 7761 KB

Open AccessReview

Urban Forests and Green Environments for Sustainable Cities: Knowledge Landscape, Research Trends, and Future Directions

by Luling Qu, Haisong Wang and Jun Xia

Forests 2025, 16(11), 1675; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16111675 - 3 Nov 2025

Viewed by 1507

Abstract

With the intensification of global urbanization and climate change challenges, urban green spaces and urban forests are playing an increasingly critical role in supporting sustainable urban development. Based on the Web of Science Core Collection, this study employed bibliometric analysis and visualization methods (VOSviewer 1.6.19 and Bibliometrix v5.0.1 (R package)) to systematically map the global knowledge landscape of urban green space and urban forest research from 2000 to 2025, identifying key thematic clusters and research fronts. The results show a shift in research focus from traditional green infrastructure and ecosystem service assessment to an integrated approach emphasizing multifunctionality, climate adaptation, public health, and governance innovation. Furthermore, research efforts are concentrated in rapidly urbanizing regions, and global spatial distribution remains a significant issue. Based on this, this paper proposes a strategic research agenda to promote the development of this field, including four key directions: (1) embedding social equity and people-oriented values into green space planning and management; (2) leveraging digital technologies and artificial intelligence to strengthen urban ecological governance; (3) promoting the transition of green infrastructure from fragmented to systematic ecological networks; and (4) deepening the role of urban green space in climate adaptation and sustainable urban transformation. By systematically combing through the knowledge system and governance logic of urban forests and greening, this article aims to reveal the key role of urban ecosystems in addressing climate change and promoting social well-being, and provide operational scientific basis and policy inspiration for the sustainable transformation of global cities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Forests and Greening for Sustainable Cities)

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