Not all trees are equal at minimizing urban runoff. In fact, bigger, mature trees confer better benefits, as reported in the March edition of Water Environment & Technology. The article discusses the benefits of trees and how to maximize return on investment—not only in monetary terms but also by optimizing an urban forest’s stormwater reduction potential. The article also mentions i-Tree, a freely available tool provided by the U.S. Forest Service that can quantify the environmental services of urban forests, including urban runoff reduction and water quality benefits.

On March 16, The Water Environment Federation (Alexandria, Va.) also joined the Sustainable Urban Forestry Coalition in their advocacy day, supporting urban forests, i-Tree, and the Vibrant Cities report.