ABSTRACT
This chapter translates the history of trees and vegetation in cities. Urban forestry and urban greening are still evolving. Our ability to understand why people desire greenspaces continues to expand. The historical story begins with our primate ancestors who evolved in the forests of Africa by living in trees, foraging for food in trees and finding protection and escape from predators in trees. As the African climate grew dryer many forests gave way to vast savannas with our primate ancestors evolving new characteristics for this habitat such as an upright stature, larger brains, higher organization skills, and more sophisticated use of tools. In time humans moved across the planet as hunters and gatherers living in a variety of habitats, many of which were savannas or forests. Eventually the development of agriculture allowed us to build permanent settlements, which has led us to the urban world of today. In spite of our city building we do remain attached to the habitats of our ancestors. African forests and savannas shaped us as a species and this includes our attachment to nature in general and trees in particular.
