Urban tree vegetation: causes of losses, protection measures and

success stories.
Muhammad Ahmad 07 MB Major Forestry (8th Semester)

Introduction:
Urban trees are very important for urban populations as they
actively and passively involved in mitigation of urban environmental pressures.
The environment of cities is too stressed not only due to pollution but also due to
excessive heat and drought, so in this regard urban plantations act as a buffer and
reclamation of environment. Trees are considered in regard of microclimate, and
they also tend to change it. People incentives relate to trees of urban. Urban trees
are very crucial as they perform important ecosystem services. As forests are
depleting for many reasons which is leading globe to adverse conditions, urban
plantations are very important to slow down this process. Due to less knowledge
and for money people with resources are cutting down these plantations for land
and other purposes. This is the main cause of loss of urban tree plantations.
Different case studies shows that housing societies and for agricultural land,
clusters of tree plantations are removed as in Multan, DHA and housing societies
are the main reasons of degradation of Mango orchards. Other causes of losses are
environmental conditions as studies shows that excessive heat and drought
conditions creating arid environment, and no care in this condition are the main
reasons. as there is no materialistic profit so the owners and the benefiters do not
pay any attention, and this is the other reasons of increasing mortality rates of
urban trees. Preventive measures are needed for best control. Awareness about
importance of urban trees and their services should be given. Involvement of forest
department and government to control massive cutting of trees by rich people for
their own purposes. Other preventive measures are also effective in this regard. In
this review we are also discussing some success stories of urban tree plantation
increase.

Objectives:
 To know the causes of losses of tree vegetation
 To find out the constraints in the sustainability of vegetations
  To find out the perspective of people

Methodology:
1. Review-methodology:
In Pakistan the urban parks and roadside plantations are
mainly regulated by PHA (parks and Horticultural authority). This department
maintain and do effort in establishing new urban plantations. The methodology to
carry out research on urban tree vegetation and its loses, protection measures and
success stories is to get related information by reviewing different scientific
writings and some case studies. For this articles are downloaded by using
keywords related to the title and reviewed carefully. Some case studies are also
reviewed. The articles were chosen on the basis that how many times the article is
cited and on the base of popularity of the articles so that the most valuable and
authenticated data should be used to assess things clearly. I use the following terms
for researching articles: urban plantations, losses of urban tree vegetation, urban
vegetation, city vegetation roadside plantations, causes of loses, protection
measures, success stories. Then the articles were properly reviewed, and the data
was cited in a proceeding way so that the data must be in order. Analysis of causes
of losses and constraints are properly understood and in the case studies of Multan
and other cities of Pakistan complete assessment of urban trees, their causes of
losses, people perceptions about urban forest and its services and protective
measures are made.

2. Survey-methodology and study area:

Study area selected was Multan
(Pakistan) and surveys were made on selected areas for data collection. Visits to
parks on specific times were made with questionnaire containing questions about
ecosystem services provided by urban trees, causes of losses and questions were
asked about suggestions to protect urban vegetation. Visits were made following
SOP’s due to Covid-19. The purpose of survey was to get the idea how people
think about ecosystem services and at which extent they know importance of these
services.
Table 1: parks where survey was conducted and number of respondents in each
park. (n = 243)

Park name No. respondents

Amirabad Park 25
Shah Shams Park 56
Walayatabad Park 36
Qila kuhna Qasim Park 77
Arts Council Park 21
Aam Khas Bagh 28

And then the area lost due to different causes in selected areas of Multan was
collected by different means such as by visiting authorities by using reference and
by previous newspapers. And visited the affected areas to check the tree loss by
different causes and to check the severity.

Literature-review:
Urban tree vegetation is actually the assemblage of all trees in
the city streets, parks, landscapes, and in the perimeter of cities and towns. It
includes nearly all types of vegetation native to that area. Increasing population is
engulfing natural land and for agricultural as well as residential purpose forests are
the main hunt for city dwellers. In Pakistan forests are degrading 1.5 % of total
each year. All the steps to avoid this are failed.(The Underlying Causes of
Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Pakistan, n.d.). The urban tree
plantations are very important naturals points for urban dwellers. Intense urban
population and the predicted increase in population of about 2.5 billion in 2050
makes the life unhealthy which then due to no contact with natural vegetation
increases. Urban vegetation provides many ecosystem services like oxygen,
purification of air, purification of water.(Al, 2021). Trees use sewage water and
face many challenges such as climate impacts, air pollution, smog, low funding,
wastes etc.(FAO, 2016). These urban trees are also called smog eating forests. In
the past few year’s smog is increasing and the threats of its prevalence are
increasing in such situations trees of urban areas are playing very crucial role in
mitigating these problems.(How Smog-Eating Forests Can Save Our Cities -
Pakistan - DAWN.COM, n.d.). urban parks and trees are preferred greatly due to
their aesthetic value other than their ecosystem services.

The main reason of loss of urban vegetation is urbanization. In Pakistan, the trend
of migration from rural to urban areas increases. It is estimated that about 70 %
population of country will be congested in the cities soon. In past few decades the
loss of vegetation due to urbanization increases intensively.(Shirazi & Kazmi,
2016). Different housing societies in different cities are cutting down the clusters
of trees. DHA in cities like Lahore, Multan is cutting down mango orchards and
thus it is the main cause of urban vegetation loss.(Fast Vanishing Tree Clusters in
Multan, n.d.). urban development and urbanization changes the land use patterns
thus loss of trees increases.(Manzoor et al., n.d.)

Due to lack of profit, authorities do not take any action for urban vegetation
sustainability. The climate change is the other issue which is the main reason of
vegetation loss as global warming results in heat and drought which adversely
affects trees survival. The diseases like dieback and canker and other viral diseases
are more common in urban trees and results in the loss of varieties of tree types.
(Al, 2021). Climate changes make the trees more vulnerable to diseases and thus
loss of important tree is the result. Lack of funds and awareness of their services
people and owners do not take interests and if necessary steps are taken and young
seedlings are planted, they die because of no proper care thus failure.(FAO, 2016).

Protection measures are needed for sustainable urban plantations as there is no life
without natural vegetation. Compact cities need natural spots of greenery for relief.
There should be the involvement of government with forest department for urban
forestry. There should be work on landscapes like corridors and other patches of
greenery must be made. People like to have shady trees so in streets the trees with
big crown must be planted. Green patches must be near to each other form network
that will change the microclimate of that area and clean the area with cool
environment. The housing society schemes should work under proper rules and
must allocate space for trees and parks. They should hire urban forest officers and
take help from them in the infrastructure building. Awareness about the importance
of urban trees and education should be given. Special sub-branch in the forest
department with proper staff must be created. And when seedlings are planted in
the trees, they should be taken care properly.(Jim, 2013)
There are many success stories in which cities literally increases urban vegetation
on sustainable basis. In a case study carried out in USA, many cities have
increased their planting activities and made clear objectives about urban forests.
They hire professionals and allocate funds.(Vogt et al., 2015)

In Pakistan tsunami tree project mainly cover about 350,000 hectare which was
deforested, and this project also lead other small urban tree plantation projects
which are still under their growth phases. If the authorities and other related sectors
work together with determination, Pakistan can also attain the objectives for
necessary sustainable urban tree vegetation.

Data Analysis:
Table 2: causes of losses of urban tree vegetation and area lost(hectares) in
different localities of Multan.

Causes of DHA City BZU Shuja Agricultural

losses housing Abad land in the
scheme road periphery
of the city
Urbanization 2500 122 23 271 3000
Low funding 25 17 19 49 510
resources
Climate change 40 29 27 52 89
issue
Disease attacks 39 22 16 28 101

Change in land 56 44 41 61 199

use system

Two-way ANOVA without replication:

ANOVA
 Source of Variation SS Df MS F P-value F crit
3.18452 0.04196 3.00691
Rows 4949996 4 1237499 7 8 7
583403. 1.50130 0.24866 3.00691
Columns 2333615 4 7 6 7 7
388597.
Error 6217559 16 4

1350117
Total 0 24

Results and Discussion:

Statistical approach was used to analyze the data (Two-
way ANOVA – without replication) and the f value (f=3.18452) came to be greater
than f critical (3.006917) which shows that the data is highly significant in the
rows and more variation is present in the rows as the vegetation area lost by tree
removal due to different causes is highly variable. And the p value (0.041968) in
case of rows is less than 0.05 which shows the significancy too in the rows. In case
of columns the f value (f=1.501306) is less than f critical which shows the non-
significancy of data in the columns and the p value (0.24) is greater than 0.05 also
suggesting the non-significancy of the data in the columns. It means that the
variation between the columns is non-significant i.e., the area lost in different areas
due to same cause is not significant they are nearly same with no significant
variation.

The area lost due to urbanization is much more than other cause so the main reason
in loss of urban trees is urbanization. Research and survey indicate the importance
of urban trees and their ecosystem services especially in the era of increasing
population with doubling factor. The survey made in parks shows that citizens
know now more about urban trees, their services and importance due to awareness
about climate change issue and Tsunami tree mission spread by media and other
means. Even un-educated people were interested in protection measures and telling
about urban trees importance. So, research shows that urban trees are very
important and at the same time facing different challenges and their mortality rate
is increasing. This highly recommend that the protective measures should be taken
with proper care. Different success stories in review encourage that protective
measures succeed rate will be 100% with proper management.

Conclusion:
Urban vegetation is very crucial for urban dwellers and due to
environmental issues and other threats urban vegetation is decreasing day by day
which is totally against the situation as increasing population need more trees for
living a good and healthy life. There are different causes of tree loss. First main
cause is urbanization and then other causes like low funding, climate change issue,
disease attacks and change in land use system. Protection measures are needed to
sustain vegetation and intense moves should be carried out. In protection measures
allocation of funds, urbanization with proper management, awareness about tree
plantation and their importance should be done. So, protection is needed for
sustainable urban vegetation. People of present know more about importance of
trees than previous. It is due to awareness boost and tree planting schemes made in
present time.

References:
Al, M. E. T. (2021). Valuing the invaluable : park visitors ’ perceived importance
and willingness to pay for urban park trees in Pakistan. 12(January).
https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.3348
FAO. (2016). Guidelines on urban and peri-urban forestry. In FAO Forestry Paper
(Vol. 178).
Fast vanishing tree clusters in Multan. (n.d.). Retrieved April 15, 2021, from
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/611558-fast-vanishing-tree-clusters-in-
multan
How smog-eating forests can save our cities - Pakistan - DAWN.COM. (n.d.).
Retrieved April 15, 2021, from https://www.dawn.com/news/1370600
Jim, C. Y. (2013). Sustainable urban greening strategies for compact cities in
developing and developed economies. Urban Ecosystems, 16(4), 741–761.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-012-0268-x
Manzoor, S. A., Malik, A., Zubair, M., & Griffiths, G. (n.d.). Linking Social
Perception and Provision of Ecosystem Services in a Sprawling Urban
 Landscape : A Case Study of Multan , Pakistan.
https://doi.org/10.3390/su11030654
Shirazi, S. A., & Kazmi, J. H. (2016). Analysis of socio-environmental impacts of
the loss of urban trees and vegetation in Lahore , Pakistan : a review of public
perception. Ecological Processes. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13717-016-0050-8
The Underlying Causes of Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Pakistan.
(n.d.). Retrieved April 15, 2021, from http://www.fao.org/3/xii/0983-b1.htm
Vogt, J. M., Watkins, S. L., Mincey, S. K., Patterson, M. S., & Fischer, B. C.
(2015). Explaining planted-tree survival and growth in urban neighborhoods:
A social-ecological approach to studying recently-planted trees in
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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2014.11.021