Having come to urban forestry and green infrastructure via the urban nature route I was very interested in this article. I think it is very important that those of us with any influence in these circles stress the importance of non-woody natural areas in urban forestry/GI planning and delivery. This means (i) stressing the importance of edge habitats, (ii) and glades and clearings, (iii) advocating sensitive management, (iv) avoiding the use of pesticides unless it is extremely justifiable and (v) intervening to ensure there is a diverse community of invertebrate friendly plants. The joy of urban forestry and urban GI is that we are also less fixated by species correctness – which is good news for butterflies.
Butterflies are vanishing from cities even faster than in the countryside – from paving, pesticides or just plain heat. But some cities are luring them back
Title:Green Infrastructure – A Lesson in Change Date & Time: Tuesday, 18 July, 6:00PM BST, 7:00PM CEST, 8:00PM EEST.
Green Infrastructure has been elevated as a means to an end for communities who are dealing with polluted run-off. From a design perspective, it has also been an agent of change in how urban foresters, engineers and landscape architects work together.
Donna Foster, a landscape architect with the USDA Forest Service, Northeastern State and Private Forestry, takes us on a journey of engagement and relationship building, exploring how past and present views on tree planting and design have merged while cultivating more respect and understanding between three professions as they work to reclaim unused lands, address environmental justice and create livable biologically functioning places in cities and towns across the nation.
Please access the webinar 15 minutes prior to the webinar’s start time. Enter as a Guest by typing your name in the name box and click the “Enter Room” button:
https://meeting.psu.edu/pacommunityforestry
Title:Cultivating and activating a natural infrastructure workforce Date & Time: Wednesday, 19 July, 6:00PM BST, 7:00PM CEST, 8:00PM EEST.
Public demand has increased the need for natural innovations that make cities more environmentally friendly and more pleasant places to live. This demand has led to growth in the number of available entry-level jobs with some advancement potential, ranging from maintenance of urban gardens to installation of natural systems that manage stormwater flooding. Sara Lamback of Jobs for the Future will discuss the findings of the NatureWORKS project that identifies current and emerging trends in the green infrastructure workforce and examines the potential of these projects to spur job creation. Dave Gamstetter, Cincinatti Ohio Parks Department, will give illustrative examples of job training and job creation spurred by green infrastructure projects in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Connect to the webinar via the following link: https://usfs.adobeconnect.com/ucf/
Title:Tree Growth and Response in a Changing Environment Date & Time: Thursday, 20 July, 5:00PM BST, 6:00PM CEST, 7:00PM EEST.
Dr. Janusz Zwiazek, Professor and Tree Physiologist, University of Alberta, will discuss how trees grow and develop, and their response to changes in our climate and rapidly urbanizing landscapes. This is crucial information for the urban foresters, planners, designers and landscape architects who will be determining the Urban Forest of the future.
To attend, visit www.joinwebinar.com and enter the ID code 759-113-739.
The European COST Action FP1204 GreenInUrbs 4-year project celebrated its conclusion in Orvieto, Italy with a conference that explored a trans-disciplinary approach to creating sustainable and livable urban centers. Many of the Keynote, Oral and Poster sessions discussed urban climate issues, directly and indirectly. A report, summarizing the urban climate issue-related presentations, has been featured in the Summer 2017 issue of Urban Climate News, published by the International Association for Urban Climate http://www.urban-climate.org/. In addition, the report contains links to the GreenInUrbs website as well as the Conference Book of Abstracts where all presentation abstracts can be viewed.
The National Tree Officers Conference is a unique gathering for professionals interested in all areas of local authority arboricultural work. This conference is crucial to tree, woodland and planning officers; provides a significant platform for future collaborations and partnerships; and offers latest research. It will demonstrate the best practice and innovation from arboricultural and urban forestry experts.
This year’s conference will focus on a range of influential topics from leading arboricultural and urban forestry professionals:
Last year’s delegates demonstrate, in the below quotes, the benefits and value of attending the only UK nationally dedicated Tree Officers conference.
“The National Tree Officers Conference was a fantastic event. It was brilliant to hear how much great work is being done by tree officers all over the country and to have the opportunity to share ideas and experiences with colleagues. I’m looking forward to the next one.” John Parker, Transport for London & Chair of the London Tree Officers Association (LTOA)
“A comprehensive day that linked many of the burning issues tree officers deal with daily. Excellent value!” Jim Smith MICFor, National Urban Forestry Advisor, Forestry Commission England
“A fully interactive and engaging day, excellent turn out and thought provoking day. “Matt Seabrook, Chair, Municipal Tree Officer’s Association (MTOA)
“It was a great atmosphere at the conference, bringing together Tree officers from across the country to discuss best practice in arboriculture.” Al Smith MICFor, Arboricultural Manager, London Borough of Camden
“Great to hear Tree Officers sharing innovative approaches and ideas, and responding to the challenges they face.” Craig Harrison FICFor, London Manager, Forestry Commission
“The National Tree Officer Conference 2016 promoted idea exchange and an unparalleled opportunity for tree, woodland and planning officers to showcase their excellent work, managing local authority trees and woodlands for the benefits of the communities they serve. A key part of the event is having the ability to talk and share experiences with your peers.” Andy Lederer, Development Director, Institute of Chartered Foresters
This newly updated Soil Survey Manual provides the major principles and practices needed for making and using soil surveys and for assembling and using related data. Although written by a US governmental agency, it contains information relevant to all issues related to soil, regardless of locale.
The complete Soil Survey Manual and / or individual chapters are available as a pdf download at the following link:
https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detailfull/soils/ref/?cid=nrcs142p2_054262
The GREEN SURGE project invites you to an online conversation with two leading researchers in the field of urban green infrastructure, Prof. Dr. Cecil Konijnendijk van den Bosch and Prof. Dr. Stephan Pauleit who will share observations on the current academic discourse on green infrastructure in Northern America and Europe.
The webinar is the first of a series of GREEN SURGE webinars reflecting on cities’ and researchers’ views on urban green infrastructure. The theme and the webinars will be leading up to the GREEN SURGE final conference in September.
The EFUF awards panel is delighted to announce that the award of Young European Urban Forester of the Year Award 2017 has gone to John Parker who works for Transport for London as Senior Technical Specialist – Arboriculture & Landscape, and who is chair of the London Tree Officers Association (LTOA).
The award committee were very impressed by John’s commitment to bring together those involved with management of individual trees with those engaged in land use based urban forestry, governance and planning as well as his skills and activity in promoting urban forestry. The awards panel were faced with a significant task given the high standard and number of applications received in 2017.
There are several upcoming webinars that offer excellent Urban Forestry-related discussions:
Title:Citizen Science and Open Data in Urban Forestry – Opportunities and Challenges. Date & Time: Wednesday, 14th June; 7:00PM BST, 8:00PM CEST, 9:00PM EEST.
Citizen Science and open data are currently being used by Urban Forest managers to engage the public and stakeholders. There is concern about the need for data coordination, quality control, resource commitment, etc. This USDA Forest Service offered webinar will present findings from a study of volunteer urban tree inventory data quality as well as other Citizen Science projects.
Please register using the following link: https://usfs.adobeconnect.com/ucf/
Title:Diversity Now!! – Increasing Resilience of Urban Forests by Expanding Species Diversity. Date & Time: Tuesday, 20 June; 5:00PM BST, 6:00PM CEST, 7:00PM EEST.
This Penn State Extension webinar will discuss the potential for increasing UF resilience by expanding species diversity. Subjects such as assisted migration, phenotypic plasticity, monotypic species, urban microclimates and hardy cultivars will be discussed in the context of a changing climate and increased threats from pathogens.
Please register as a guest, 15 minutes before webinar starts, using the following link: https://meeting.psu.edu/pacommunityforestry
Title:Soil Profile Rebuilding – Rehabilitating Compacted Soils. Date & Time: Wednesday, 21 June; 7:00PM BST. 8:00PM CEST, 9:00PM EEST.
This upcoming webinar from the Tree Fund Webinar Series will explore recent research projects evaluating a soil rehabilitation technique known as Soil Profile Rebuilding – a technique which can be used to remediate soils on site. Dr. Susan Day will present an overview of this technique which is also available in the form of a written specification to allow for easy adoption.
Please pre-register using the following link: http://www.treefund.org/webinars
While some of the EFUF delegates are still enjoing Barcelona, I arrived home this morning after a 16 hour stressless train trip to Brussels (shared with a Swiss delegate up to Paris). The Forum has always been a special event for me, and arriving home is always connected with mixed feelings. Being happy to be at home again, feeling re-energised and full of new ideas, being thankfull for seeing old friends and making new contacts, but feeling a bit lonely without the EFUF family around myself.
The 20th European Forum on Urban Forestry was not only special as it was a jubilee edition, but also for being organised in such a wonderfull city. I didn’t expect Barcelona to be so leafy and was very surprised by vastness and quality of the Collserola park.
We were hosted by Area Metropolitana de Barcelona (AMB) and the Centro Tecnologic Forestal de Catalunya, and I was happily surprised by the active contribution and participation of members of all the co-organizing institutions. Your contribution greatly facilitated the Forum to achieve its aim to be a science-policy-practice interface. This has always been a challenge, and I think this year’s Forum was very successfull in this sense.
The EFUF Steering Group will closely cooperate with the staff at AMB to make the presentations available online in the coming weeks. We also invite you all to write a post for www.efuf.org on your presentation, or on your work in general.
Thanks again to all who contributed, before and behind the curtains. It has been a wonderfull experience, once more.
