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CONCLUSION <br /> The urban forest consists of trees in and around the places we live, be it cities, <br /> suburbs, or small communities. People see and benefit from them daily. Individual <br /> trees make a difference in the quality of urban life. <br /> Though scattered throughout the country, the nation's urban forest is larger than any <br /> one of our National Forests. It includes some 70 million acres of municipal land and <br /> an unaccountable number of acres in suburbia and small towns. Our urban forest has <br /> expanded by about three million acres in the last ten years. <br /> Like all forests, the urban forest is constantly changing. New trees are planted as a <br /> result of urban expansion, new development, or to replace dead or dying trees. City <br /> expansion annexes existing trees from once -rural landscapes. In these ways, <br /> Eugene's urban forest continues to grow and change in size and value. <br /> While size and value help determine the state of the urban forest, the forest's <br /> condition is perhaps the most important factor. Urban trees reach the peak of their <br /> health and value in the middle part of their growing cycle, so the condition of the <br /> urban forest can be measured by the average age of its trees. The longer trees live, <br /> the higher the average age and the more valuable the urban forest. <br /> The best way to extend the life of a tree is through a maintenance program, yet the <br /> need for a good maintenance program is often overlooked at budget time. Trees <br /> don't sit around like concrete, they keep growing and have an increasing effect in the <br /> landscape. Without proper care, problems may result. Branches growing correctly <br /> are assets, but branches growing in the wrong places become ever - increasing <br /> hazards. In the long run, good management of this resource doesn't cost, it pays. <br /> This document was produced in response to the increasing need for a comprehensive <br /> urban forestry program in our city. Targeted readers include all those with <br /> motivation to make a lasting and positive contribution to Eugene by helping develop <br /> a healthy urban forest. <br />