Urban Guide Lesson 4: Issues and Action in the Urban Forest

Provided by: Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education |Published on: July 16, 2026

Lesson Plans

9101112AP

Scientist Reviewed ↗

Synopsis

This 75-minute lesson has students discuss the meaning of stewardship and investigate urban forest issues such as tree canopy loss, emerald ash borer, invasive species, tree and utility conflicts, soil compaction, and the heat island effect.
Working in groups, students research an assigned issue and create an action plan proposing how their class, school, or community could help address it, then present their plans and choose one to potentially pursue.

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Subjects: Biology, Earth and Space Sciences, Geography

Authors: LEAF Wisconsin K-12 Forestry Education

Region: Wisconsin

Languages: English

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Teaching Materials

Classroom Implementation:

This is the fourth of four LEAF 9-12 Urban Forest Lessons and can serve as a capstone; the action-plan activity lends itself to inviting administrators, school board members, or community organizations to hear student presentations.
Assign each group a different urban forest issue and note that some issues are examined from how they affect the forest and others from how the forest affects the issue.
Research can be assigned as homework if class time is limited, and students may present findings as a slideshow, poster, or brochure.

Extensions:

Structure the post-presentation discussion (step 4) around concrete criteria (ease of implementation, number of people impacted, scale of impact) so the class vote on which issue to pursue feels evidence-based rather than arbitrary.
Ask students to calculate a rough cost estimate for their proposed action plan and pitch it as a budget request to a school or community stakeholder.

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Urban Guide Lesson 4: Issues and Action in the Urban Forest

Synopsis

Teaching Materials

Scientist Reviewed

Related Teaching Resources