Environment

You Didn't Plant That: Where Urban Trees Really Come From

Most city trees aren't the result of tree-planting programs.
Reuters

Trees seem to know how to make forests better than we do. According to new research from the U.S. Forest Service, an average of two-thirds of all trees in cities are the result of natural regeneration. Only one-third of trees are deliberately planted.

By looking at randomly located plots in 12 North American cities, the researchers found that the vast majority of the urban tree population is naturally occurring growth. Trees are reproducing and filling in empty spaces far more efficiently than any tree planting program ever could.