Where Technology Meets Trees: A Review of The Nature of Our Cities
At The Giving Grove, we spend a lot of time thinking about how trees can transform neighborhoods. They provide food, shade, connection, and resilience in places where those things are often scarce. That is why The Nature of Our Cities by Dr. Nadina Galle felt so aligned with our mission, and why we are excited to welcome her as the keynote speaker at our Planting Promise luncheon on April 2, 2026.
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Contributed by Erica Kratofil, Co-Executive Director
An Optimistic Vision for Urban Nature
I read The Nature of Our Cities while on vacation in Colorado, hiking through national forests with my family. Immersed in towering trees and surrounded by breathtaking landscapes, I found myself reflecting on how different, and how distant, those experiences can feel from daily life in cities. Dr. Galle’s book met me right in that tension, offering an optimistic reminder that humans are hard-wired for nature and that access to it is not a luxury. It is essential to our health, happiness, and productivity.
What makes this book especially compelling is its refusal to frame nature and technology as opposing forces. Instead, Dr. Galle argues that emerging technologies can help us better protect, grow, and sustain urban nature.
The “Internet of Nature” and Why Trees Matter
One of the book’s central ideas is what Dr. Galle calls the Internet of Nature. This includes tools like soil sensors that tell us when a tree actually needs water, data systems that track canopy health, and technologies that help cities prioritize where trees are planted and maintained. These innovations do not replace human care or community stewardship. They strengthen it.
For those of us who care deeply about trees, this is where the book really shines. Dr. Galle shares powerful examples of how data and technology can support urban forests, helping trees survive longer, thrive in tough conditions, and deliver greater benefits to the communities around them. In cities where trees are often lost faster than they are planted, this kind of support can make all the difference.
A Natural Fit for Community Orchards
At The Giving Grove, we see these ideas come to life through community orchards. Orchards are living systems that depend on long-term care, local knowledge, and shared responsibility. Technology, when used thoughtfully, can help us understand soil health, anticipate challenges, and steward trees more effectively, while centering people and relationships.
Dr. Galle’s work reinforces something we have long believed: strong communities and healthy trees grow together. Her perspective helps align innovation and stewardship, offering tools that can support volunteers, community leaders and backyard growers.
Join us at Planting Promise
We are thrilled that Dr. Galle will join us on April 2 to explore these ideas with our community and highlight real world innovations that support urban nature.
Join us to be inspired, to learn, and to imagine what is possible when we invest in both people and trees. When you register, you will also have the option to purchase a copy of The Nature of Our Cities.
Register here: https://www.givinggrove.org/planting-promise
We hope to see you there, ready to grow what’s next.
About the Author
Erica Kratofil serves as Co-Executive Director of The Giving Grove, overseeing national strategy and partnerships that expand equitable access to fresh, locally grown fruit. She’s dedicated to helping communities transform underutilized spaces into long-term sources of nourishment, connection, and climate resilience.