2004
Environmental Issue
Natural
Resource Management in the Urban Environment
The U.S. population has grown increasingly
urban each decade, from 28 percent in 1910 to 80 percent in 2000
(US Census Bureau, Demographic Trends in the 20th Century).
Currently, the majority of us live and/or work in cities and
towns that are part of complex urban ecosystems. Like other
ecosystems, urban ecosystems are communities of organisms and
environmental features functioning as ecological units.
The natural resources of urban ecosystems
have a multitude of social, environmental, and economic values
and benefits such as, providing habitat for plants and animals
that could otherwise be absent from urban areas; increasing
aesthetic appeal, which can boost property values and improve
personal contentment; improving air and water quality; reducing
noise and lowering energy consumption for heating and cooling;
and providing open space for outdoor recreation.
But, there are numerous factors impacting
the health and function of these urban ecosystems, which in turn
result in social, environmental, and economic issues and
problems. “For example, in urban areas summer temperatures and
noise levels are higher than in the surrounding countryside, air
and water pollution problems are more concentrated, and the
landscape is significantly altered.” (Urban and Community
Forestry: Improving Our Quality of Life). And many people do
not understand how vital it is to manage urban natural resources
in a manner that encourages wise use and conservation.
By studying urban forests, soils, water,
and wildlife for the 2004 Canon Envirothon, students will (1)
gain awareness of the social, environmental, and economic values
and benefits of urban natural resources, (2) investigate the
issues surrounding the utilization, management, and protection
of these resources, and (3) develop an understanding of how
properly managed urban natural resources can provide an
attractive and healthy green infrastructure for our communities.
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