In urban settings, trees are often scarce; however, they are highly valued aspects of the community.  Urban areas are generally characterized by high proportions of heat-retaining impervious surface, and urban trees shade buildings and reduce summer energy costs.  Trees and other vegetation also serve as a first line of defense in storm water treatment, serving to filter out and hold nutrients and other pollutants before they enter the storm drain system.  Trees also have a positive impact on air quality through similar mechanisms.  Finally, trees been shown to increase property values and are correlated with increased business traffic in commercial districts. 

For these reasons, increasing tree canopy is a goal of states within the Bay watershed, and many communities are beginning to assess their current tree canopy and set goals for increasing their cover. 

For more information, see the following resources:
 -  Chesapeake Bay Program
 -  Chesapeake Bay Program Urban Tree Canopy Enhancement Guidelines
 -   Maryland DNR Urban and Community Forestry Program
 -  Proceedings from the Chesapeake Bay Scientific Technical Advisory Committee's Urban Tree Canopy Workshop
 -  Center for Watershed Protection Urban Watershed Forestry Manual   
 -  Forest Opportunity Spectrum
 -  A report to the city of Baltimore on present and potential tree canopy
 -  Center for Urban Forest Research
 -  Connecting People with Ecosystems in the 21st Century: An Assessment of Our Nation's Urban Forests
 -  Northeast Center for Urban and Community Forestry
 -  Northeastern Research Station 
 -  Urban and Community Forestry of the Northeastern Area
 -  Urban Forestry South
 -  Watershed Forestry in the Northeastern Area

Other funding sources:
 -  The Home Depot Foundation