Photo Credit

USDA Forest Service photo by Aj Moses

Research social scientist Francisco Escobedo introducing the "State of Research" panel at the Urban Forestry for Changing Times Symposium

Research social scientist Francisco Escobedo introducing the "State of Research" panel at the Urban Forestry for Changing Times Symposium. USDA Forest Service Photo. “Urban forestry” may sound like it’s about trees, but at its heart, it’s about people. To better understand and meet the needs of urban forestry in Southern California, nearly 200 practitioners, including scientists, forestry managers, tree advocacy groups, consultants, and members of the public came together for the “Urban Forestry for Changing Times” symposium in Arcadia, California. During the event, participants voiced their needs and ideas for urban forestry resources, key partnerships, and solutions, with the goal of informing urban forestry research and policy effectiveness.

The symposium boasted a full day of moderated panels, interactive discussions, breakout groups, and networking opportunities for practitioners, culminating with the co-production of research ideas for the city of Los Angeles and Los Angeles County’s first Urban Forest Management Plan. With the goal of being implemented in 2025, this management plan aims to move towards a more sustainable urban forest, in addition to improving tree canopy equity and tree preservation in, and around, Los Angeles County and the City of Los Angeles. For a plan of this magnitude to be successful, both LA County and the City of Los A Angeles have noted how critical it is to incorporate the priorities and values of residents and those working in the urban forestry space. When asked about what made this symposium particularly special, research social scientist and co-organizer Francisco Escobedo noted that this event “convened urban forestry researchers and practitioners from Southern California under the same roof for one of the first times ever,” making this symposium a key part of moving this process forward.

This symposium was made possible thanks to the plethora of partner organizations, in addition to the organizing team of Francisco Escobedo from the Pacific Southwest Research Station and Los Angeles Urban Center, Edith de Guzman from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Marianna Babboni and Katie Vega from the University of Southern California (USC), and Kat Superfisky with the City of Los Angeles.

More about Urban Forestry at the Pacific Southwest Research Station

 

Urban Forestry

Missed the Symposium? You can watch the recordings here (External)

 

Watch Here

More about the Urban Forestry Management Plan (External)

 

Management Plan

Webinars, Events, and Information

Station News

Cristina Winters: Carving Out a Career in Forestry

Reflecting on her time with the Forest Service, ‘grateful’ is the first word that comes to mind for Cristina Winters. For the past seven months, Winters served as a climate change resource assistant for the Pacific Southwest Research Station (PSW). In that role, she took on various projects, making significant contributions during her short tenure.

Read More

Life in the Woods: Martin Ritchie’s Distinguished Forestry Career

Martin Ritchie is retiring from an over 35-year career in forestry with the Pacific Southwest Research Station (PSW). But he’s not hanging up his hat just yet. He plans to continue his forestry research as an emeritus scientist at PSW’s Redding lab. After all, forestry is in his blood.

From a young age, Ritchie spent time in the woods of Redding, California with his dad, who was also a forester.

Read More

External News

Field notes: Life in the Eldorado National Forest after wildfire strikes
 

Read more: Phys.org (External Link)

Planted mangroves fall short in carbon storage compared with natural mangrove forests: Study

Read more: The Straits Times (External Link)

Journal article: Treesearch

More PSW News

Publication Highlights

FY2024 Research Publication Highlights

More PSW Publications via Treesearch

Pacific Southwest Research Station

The Pacific Southwest Research Station (PSW) was founded in 1926 as a part of the Research and Development branch of U.S. Forest Service. Since its inception, PSW has expanded to serve California, Hawai'i, and the US-affiliated Pacific Islands. PSW develops and delivers science-based information, technologies, and applications to help people make informed decisions about natural resource management, conservation, and environmental protection.