by Rik De Vreese | Apr 5, 2019 | Events
The Nature of Cities TNOC Summit will take place in Paris during 4-7 June 2019. Seed and skill sessions, paired dialogues, workshops and field trips are on the agenda of this international platform for transdisciplinary dialogue on urban solutions. The topics include inter-alia urban greening, ecosystem services provided by urban trees, smarter trees, green justice, participation and nature-based solutions.
TNOC Summit is all about sparking conversations for knowledge exchange and collaborative networking. It aims to build a movement for green cites where resilience, sustainability, health, livability, and environmental justice are addressed. As such, TNOC Summit provides an arena where different professionals like leaders, practitioners, policy makers and academics interact and work towards common grounds.
If you are interested in getting involved in the latest discussions about solutions to urban challenges, make sure to stay tuned and register for the event!
Early bird registrations open until 8 April
Proposals for short talks and posters open until 15 April
![i-Tree March 2019 Workshop: I-TREE QUICK TOPICS]()
by Naomi Zürcher | Mar 23, 2019 | Events
Title: i-Tree 2019 Workshop Series: I-TREE QUICK TOPICS WORKSHOP
Date & Time: Thursday, 28 March, 5:00PM BST, 6:00PM CEST, 7:00PM EEST.
The workshop will focus on the top three ideas expressed during February’s Round Table.
i-Tree allows any community to conduct and analyze a sample, or complete street tree inventory data, and make estimates of the structure, function, and value of these components of your Urban Forest. Baseline data can be used to effectively manage the resource, develop policy and set priorities. Looking at information collected on existing street trees, this software allows managers to evaluate current benefits, costs, and management needs. These sessions are very informative, providing important feedback to the i-Tree team, and allow your ideas to be brought into future planning efforts. Please be sure to join us for this informative Workshop.
PRE-REGISTRATION is required for this session in order to provide the most streamlined user experience. TO REGISTER, PLEASE VISIT
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/i-tree-workshop-series-march-2019-session-tickets-59127482893?ref=enivtefor001&invite=MTYxNjEyNjcvdHJlZXJhcEBzcHJpbnRtYWlsLmNvbS8w%0A&utm_source=eb_email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=inviteformalv2&utm_term=attend
by Rik De Vreese | Mar 21, 2019 | Articles
there is a place
where children who have never walked, find freedom
where children who have never talked, find words
and more often than not, where every child finds a smile
In this blogpost, we celebrate the 21st of March, which is not only International Day of Forest 2019 but also World Down Syndrome Day. We look how three EFUF partners implemented forest education for children with special needs, including children with Down Syndrome.
Playing and learning in forest and nature stimulates the imagination, creativity and entrepreneurship. Besides, nature is a great place to gain experience for the development of social and motor skills. The positive impact of a green learning environment is even more significant when working with children with cognitive disabilities, learning disorders, attention disabilities (such as ADHD) and autism spectrum disorders. In an informal natural environment, these children learn better than in a classroom. A green learning environment therefore increases their chances in society meaningfully. From this determination, EFUF partners BOS+ (Belgium), GOZDIS (Slovenian Forestry Institute) and Merseyforest (UK), together with schools and partners from Slovenia and England, has been executing the Green Learning Environments project, with co-funding from the ERASMUS+ programme from the European Commission and EPOS-Vlaanderen.
Based on the experiences and expertise gathered during the three year project, the project has published a Policy Brief. With this document they aim to raise awareness on the concept of Green Learning Environments and the positive impacts of green environments on learning outcomes for children with mental disabilities. The brief starts with sketching the background and some scientific evidence on the topic, describes obstacles for implementing green learning with children with mental issues, sketches the project findings, and ends with recommendations for practice and policy.
The policy recommendations are particularly interesting, as they sketch how joint efforts by the education and urban greening sectors can ameliorate the lives of children with special educational needs. These recommendations include:
- Non-formal learning activities in green learning environments should become part of the educational system for all children in Europe.
- The education systems across Europe should look to provide support for more green learning, including increasing awareness regarding the benefits of learning in natural environment, the creation of sites for teaching in the natural environment and signposting to organisation that can provide support (Jelen, 2018).
- Learning and spending time in green learning environments can make an important contribution to the increased social inclusion of children with special needs. Green learning environments promote the skills and competences that are important for lifelong learning and the social inclusion of all children.
- Accessible green should be provided close to schools. Where possible it should be provided within school grounds to allow as many children as possible to enjoy a green learning environment.
Next to the policy brief, the project also also published a searchable database with good examples, a toolbox for teachers and educators, and a comprehensive pedagogical approach that includes interesting background information about the advantages of green learning environments.
by Rik De Vreese | Mar 1, 2019 | EFUF2019
![i-Tree March 2019 Workshop: I-TREE QUICK TOPICS]()
by Naomi Zürcher | Feb 12, 2019 | Events
Title: i-Tree 2019 Workshop Series: I-TREE ONLINE ROUNDTABLE
Date & Time: Thursday, 28 February, 6:00PM BST, 7:00PM CEST, 8:00PM EEST.
The annual i-Tree Roundtable Webinar offers the i-Tree global community – users and interested potential users – the ability to hear an update from Dave Nowak (Forest Service) on the ever-evolving science behind all things i-Tree, and a chance to get feedback from the entire i-Tree support and development team. This session will provide an opportunity to see what is on tap for upcoming enhancements to the software tools, and to get user feedback on what i-Tree features have been most useful.
i-Tree allows any community to conduct and analyze a sample, or complete street tree inventory data, and make estimates of the structure, function, and value of these components of your Urban Forest. Baseline data can be used to effectively manage the resource, develop policy and set priorities. Looking at information collected on existing street trees, this software allows managers to evaluate current benefits, costs, and management needs. We hope that this will be a very informative session, and provide important feedback to the i-Tree team, and allow your ideas to be brought into future planning efforts. Please be sure to join us for this very informative Workshop.
PRE-REGISTRATION is required for this session in order to provide the most streamlined user experience. TO REGISTER, PLEASE VISIT https://bit.ly/2TK5Gia
![i-Tree March 2019 Workshop: I-TREE QUICK TOPICS]()
by Naomi Zürcher | Feb 8, 2019 | Events
Title: Tree Species and Cultivars for Resilient Northeastern Community Forests
Date & Time: Tuesday, 19 February, 5:00PM BST, 6:00PM CEST, 7:00PM EEST.
Dear Colleagues:
As Climate Change expands its impact, our tree planting palette will greatly benefit from increased diversity. Although this Webinar has a Northeastern US focus, we in Europe share the same Hardiness Zones and, invariably in the Northern Hemisphere, we are all also using the same urban-tolerant species.
Jim Kisker, Director of Sales for the greatly esteemed (personal experience) Schichtel’s Nursery in Springville NY, will present an array of proven and promising tree species and cultivars for consideration in your urban tree planting programs. Many of these varieties have characteristic advantages when used to address unique site challenges. In addition, this Webinar will assist with matching plant availability to site requirements to provide best canopy and aesthetics.
Presented by: Jim Kisker, Sales Manager, Schichtel’s Nursery, Springville NY.
Where: PRE-REGISTRATION is suggested for this session in order to provide the most streamlined user experience.
TO REGISTER, PLEASE VISIT https://psu.zoom.us/webinar/register/938e0f5e4c434d477c24e00bf0acd2b8
![i-Tree March 2019 Workshop: I-TREE QUICK TOPICS]()
by Naomi Zürcher | Feb 2, 2019 | Events
Title: THE SALT DILEMMA: Growing Better Urban Trees in Northern Climates
Date & Time: Tuesday, 5 February, 7:00PM BST, 8:00PM CEST, 9:00PM EEST.
Dear Colleagues:
Can urban trees and city winter weather protocols peacefully co-exist? Join Utah State University Forestry Extension for a discussion on the latest research findings related to successfully growing trees under these conditions. Dr. Andrew Millward will walk us through his investigation of the surprising decline and mortality of trees planted using soil cells in a recent urban revitalization project in Toronto. While the research suggested salt was the culprit, there were a number of other factors. The project opened a discussion about changes to the way we design and manage urban trees. Adam Nicklin will offer options to reduce salt damage to trees, and talk about the role landscape architects can play in helping the urban canopy thrive.
Presented by: Dr Andrew Millward, Principal Investigator, Ryerson University (CA) Urban Forest Research and Ecological Disturbance (UFRED) Group; Adam Nicklin, principal & co-founder of Public Work, Toronto CA
Where: PRE-REGISTRATION is required for this session in order to provide the most streamlined user experience. TO REGISTER, PLEASE VISIT https://extension.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Hylnpw3hTuG31doUzoJiGQ
by Rik De Vreese | Jan 29, 2019 | EFUF2019
![i-Tree March 2019 Workshop: I-TREE QUICK TOPICS]()
by Naomi Zürcher | Jan 1, 2019 | Events
Title: More Than Good Looks: How trees influence urban stormwater management in green infrastructure practices
Date & Time: Wednesday, 9 January 2019, 6:00PM BST, 7:00PM CEST, 8:00PM EEST.
While green stormwater infrastructure increases in popularity, we are still learning about the role of trees in these innovative practices. This webinar will discuss:
• recent research results from studies designed to characterize the health of trees in bioretention practices and the benefits they provide to urban stormwater management;
• observations from the management of bioretention and detention ponds; how design, installation, and maintenance practices affect tree health and water quality function.
This information can help stormwater engineers, urban foresters, and landscape professionals be successful in integrating trees into stormwater management efforts.
Presenters: Andrew Tirpak, University of Tennesse, Lyn Rutherford, City of Chattanooga TN
Connect to the webinar via the following link:
https://usfs.adobeconnect.com/ucf/
by Naomi Zürcher | Dec 14, 2018 | Events
June 16 – 19, 2019
SUNY-ESF Syracuse, NY
Please mark your calendars to attend the first global i-Tree Symposium held in the United States. This event is intended to bring i-Tree users and developers together to help attendees:
• Learn how to use i-Tree to create successful projects to improve urban forest management and enhance local human health and well-being
• Discover how it is has been successfully used globally
• Learn new science related to ecosystem service assessments and i-Tree tools
• Gather ideas on new projects
• Advise on the future development of i-Tree tools Interact with i-Tree staff and other i-Tree users
Day 1: Full-day of i-Tree training
Day 2: i-Tree science and application presentations
Day 3: Future of i-Tree – attendees will provide input as to where i-Tree should proceed to help meetthe needs of a global forest management community in the future. In addition, attendees can meet with developers to discuss specific i-Tree projects or questions.
Registration is limited to 150 people due to hands-on training and will be open in January 2019. For more information:
https://www.esf.edu/itree/
Call for Abstracts is currently open for presentations and posters
Topic areas include:
• Successful global applications of i-Tree
• Advanced and novel i-Tree applications
• Current i-Tree research projects
• New field or ecosystem service quantification techniques
• New directions in quantifying urban forest ecosystem services and benefits Advances in urban forest planning and management
To submit abstract: Abstract Submission Form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeTcd0JX6lVOA-KphFODTKf76jWxnIufQ-zexxY4uIHQb-w1A/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1
Deadline for abstract submission is January 31, 2019.
