Ecosystem Services Provided by Urban and Peri-Urban Forests

Urban and peri-urban forests (UPFs) are critical in addressing climate change challenges and fostering urban sustainability. The world faces escalating climate threats, with human activities causing historic CO2 emissions and rising atmospheric CO2 concentration. Tree planting and reforestation are crucial to limit global warming to 1.5 °C, aligning with global efforts. As urbanization surges, UPFs emerge as essential components for climate change mitigation and adaptation, often called “city lungs. Recognized in Sustainable Development Goal-11”, UPFs offer diverse ecosystem services, contributing to urban quality of life. However, these forests face threats from unregulated urban development and inadequate management, often undervalued by decision-makers. Urban forests offer numerous benefits, addressing various urban issues such as food security, poverty, pollution, and climate change. They are pivotal in advancing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), impacting nine specific SDGs. Understanding urban ecosystem services (UES) becomes imperative as more than half the global population resides in cities. In this chapter, the concept of ecosystem services is divided into four categories: provisioning, regulating, supporting, and cultural. This paper focuses on provisioning and regulating services provided by urban trees, detailing their role in food security, pollution mitigation, and climate regulation. Specifically, it explores the regulating services of heat mitigation, dust retention, carbon sequestration, and noise reduction, emphasizing the impact of tree species, environmental factors, and their role in enhancing the urban quality of life. Recognizing and incorporating their diverse ecosystem services into comprehensive climate change mitigation strategies is crucial for building healthier, more resilient cities.