by Urban Forest Ecosystem Initiative
Resource Type: Interactive Map and Website
Source: Urban Forest Ecosystem Initiative
Grades: Middle School and High School
Some people argue that in a given city, only species that are native to that city should be planted. This interactive GIS map shows the tree species that are native to California cities. For a given location, a list of native species is provided. The number of native species in any given location in California is very small compared, e.g., to the East Coast.
Phenomena:
Native species
DCIs:
LS2.A: Interdependent relationships in ecosystems
LS2.C: Ecosystems dynamics, functioning, and resilience
LS4.C: Adaptation
Notes:
- There is a movement to restrict urban tree planting to native species only. This map illustrates how challenging that would be.
- Interesting to explore the native species of different cities in California.
- Patience is required. The map loads very slowly.
Driving questions:
- What species are native to your city?
- How feasible would it be to limit trees planted in cities to native species? What other values might this conflict with?
- How might native species react to climate change?
- What are some costs and benefits of limiting species options to just native species?
Topics: California and native species
Features: GIS, interactive map, and map