Urban Guide Lesson 1: What's it Worth? Urban Forest Economics
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Provided by: Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education|Published on: July 16, 2026
Lesson PlansScientist Reviewed
9101112AP
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Synopsis
- This 55-minute lesson introduces urban forests as ecosystems and has students analyze data on the economic, ecological, and social benefits and costs of maintaining trees in urban forests.
- Students calculate the annual net benefit and return on investment for four tree types over 40 years, then read about trends in extreme weather in Wisconsin and discuss how urban forests can mitigate extreme weather while extreme weather can raise maintenance costs.
Subjects: Biology, Earth and Space Sciences, Economics, Geography
Authors: LEAF Wisconsin K-12 Forestry Education
Region: Wisconsin
Languages: English
Teaching Materials
Classroom Implementation:
- This is the first of four LEAF 9-12 Urban Forest Lessons and can be taught independently or in sequence.
- The optional Student Resource 3 supplemental reading can extend the lesson for students ready to cite text evidence from informational text, while the guided data tables support students who need more structure.
- Adapt the Wisconsin ties to your local context by finding a resource for extreme weather trends in your region.
Misconceptions:
- Students often think that bigger trees always have more benefits, but the data shows large trees have higher costs too; push students to compare net benefit, not just gross benefit.
- Clarify that public trees are paid for and maintained with tax dollars, which is why municipalities track their ROI closely.
- Reinforce that the urban forest includes all vegetation (yards, street trees, green infrastructure), not just designated green spaces.
Options for Action:
- Have students propose a tree-planting or tree-maintenance advocacy plan for their own school or neighborhood, using cost/benefit data as justification.
- Connect students with a local urban forests program or municipal forestry department to explore volunteer planting or inventory events.
This resource explores urban forests through a cost/benefit analysis. All terms are clearly defined in the text, and the analysis relies on high-quality data sourced from US Forest Service and Wisconsin State Climatology Office. The role of urban forests in climate change mitigation is well presented, with focus on the urban heat island effect. This resource is recommended for teaching.
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