Ulrike Passe and David Jahn present The Role of Urban Forestry in Sustainable Communities

October 2nd, 2018:

Professor Ulrike Passe and David Jahn (City of Des Moines Urban Forestry Team) presented their university-community partnership, titled "The Role of Urban Forests in Sustainable Communities", at the 12th annual Growing Sustainable Communities Conference in Debuque Iowa. 

Recognizing the benefits that urban forestry can provide in disaster mitigation and public health, this partnership uses big data and urban energy modeling to more accurately inform policy makers on how to impliment urban forestry strategies for resource-vulnerable communities. Examples in their presentation included engaging marginalized communities with Growers Futures and Tiny Tree programs, mapping pollinator habitats around developing communities, and using urban modeling interfaces to predict canopy cover impacts on temperature and water runoff. Their presentation also demonstrates how these strategies address issues of environmental justice, public health, and energy conservation in resource-volnerable areas. 

For more information on the conference, click here

For the presentation slides, click here