Urban areas lose the valuable benefits of natural systems if they are not included in the development decision-making process. As part of effective planning in a growing metropolitan area, community leaders can determine the cost of sprawling growth patterns and the loss of ecosystem services. The greater the tree cover and the less the impervious surface, the more ecosystem services are produced:

• Reducing stormwater runoff
• Increasing air quality
• Increasing water quality
• Storing and sequestering atmospheric carbon
• Reducing energy consumption due to shading buildings

Use the Ecosystem Analysis Tool to locate detailed reports for specific cities in North Carolina. Go to http://ergmap.er.usgs.gov/citygreen.html

A free online service is available as part of The National Map, in which the data on the map is connected to ecological models that put a value on the ecosystem services that nature provides. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) and American Forest collaborated to develop a web-based application to demonstrate the economic benefits of ecosystem services. Comprehensive Urban Ecosystem Studies (CUES) were conducted in more than 1000 cities around the country documenting the loss of tree cover. These analyses report the value of trees not only in terms of their ecological benefits, but also in actual dollars.