ABSTRACT
Designers are readily cognisant of the aesthetic qualities but infrequently of the other physical and environmental benefits and how trees can improve our mental well-being. This chapter provides an overview of how trees can be used to provide a more beautiful, comfortable, productive and liveable urban landscape. It investigates why, despite more trees being planted overall, we are finding fewer and fewer large species trees within our cities, typically due to conflicts during construction and the close proximity of hard, grey infrastructures. A variety of conditions and factors can cause stress to urban trees; they are surrounded by buildings, often planted within a sea of impervious surfaces and subjected to reflected and radiated heat, wind funnelling and shade from sun and rain. The concept of 'green infrastructure' has gained political momentum, with much popularity among the various levels of decision-makers, from parliamentary and local politicians, government departments and agencies, through to land planning, landscape and urban design professionals.
