Given the monumental challenges facing today's world - widespread poverty, urban blight, illiteracy, tropical deforestation and the threat of nuclear war, to name only a few - it may seem quite irrelevant to devote an issue of Unasylva to the rather tame-sounding subject of urban forestry. To millions of homeless or starving or unemployed people in the urban centres of the developing world, how important can urban forestry really be? In truth, urban forestry, as sometimes practiced, does tend to benefit the well-to-do at the expense of the underprivileged.

Les grands arbres urbains sont d’excellents filtres pour les polluants urbains et les particules fines. Un arbre peut absorber jusqu’à 150 kg de CO2 par an, séquestrer du carbone et par conséquent, atténuer les changements climatiques Les arbres fournissent des habitats, de la nourriture et une protection pour les plantes et les animaux, augmentant la biodiversité urbaine. Planter des arbres aujourd’hui est essentiel pour les générations futures!

En el presente nmero de Unasylva se analiza la situacin forestal en las zonas urbanas y se estudia su aporte potencial a la elevacin de los niveles de vida de los habitantes en distintos escenarios urbanos.

도시에서 큰 나무는 오염물질과 미세먼지를 제거하는데 매우 효과적입니다. 나무 한 그루는 공기중의 이산화탄소를 150kg까지 흡수할 수 있어 기후변화를 완화하는 데 기여할 수 있습니다. 나무들은 식물과 동물에게 서식처와 음식을 제공하고 보호함으로써 도시 생물다양성을 증진시킵니다. 미래 세대를 위해 지금 나무를 심어야 합니다.

Los grandes árboles de las ciudades son excelentes filtros para los contaminantes urbanos y las pequeñas partículas. Un árbol puede absorber hasta 150 kg de CO2 al año, secuestrar carbono y en consecuencia mitigar el cambio climático. Los árboles proporcionan habitat, alimentos y protección a plantas y animales, aumentando la biodiversidad urbana. ¡Plantar árboles hoy es clave para las generaciones futuras!

This issue of Unasylva focuses on the special challenges concerning the conservation and use of trees outside forests.

Meeting symbol/code: NAFC 2000 8a

Este nmero de Unasylva se ocupa de los desafos especiales que plantean la conservacin y utilizacin de los rboles fuera del bosque.

Büyük kent ağaçları kent kirleticileri ve ince parçacıklar için mükemmel bir süzgeçtir. Bir ağaç yılda 150 kg CO2 tutabilir, karbon depolar ve dolayısıyla iklim değişimini azaltır. Ağaçlar kent biyoçeşitliliğini yükselterek bitki ve hayvanlara yaşam ortamı, gıda ve koruma sağlar. Bugün ağaçlandırma yapmak gelecek kuşaklar için vazgeçilmez !

An introduction to the status of forest resources and forestry industries in Thailand. Forest policies are outlined in the context of the prevailing social and economic environment.

A thematic study on “Urban and peri-urban forestry” focuses on the potentials and constraints for urban forestry development at regional and sub-regional levels considering the current experience and future prospects of urbanization in the region that is expected to take place in the next 15 years. As a complement to this thematic Urban and peri-urban forestry study, a livelihoods analysis of the contribution of forests and trees to urban poor livelihoods has been carried out the Sub-programme on access to natural resources of the Livelihood Support Programme (GCP/INT/803/UK).

The livelihood of urban communities depends on the wide range of goods and services provided by natural ecosystems in and around cities. The UPF approach can significantly contribute to the quality of the urban environment and provide a wide range of benefits including watershed management and disaster risk prevention, climate change adaptation and mitigation, air quality improvement, human health benefits, food and fuel supply, jobs and income generation and biodiversity conservation.