COLORADO—The Forest Service's Urban Forest Connections webinar series brings experts together to discuss the latest science, practice and policy on urban forestry and the environment.

These webinars are organized by the Forest Service Urban Forest Technology & Science Delivery Team, which includes urban program and science delivery staff from across our regions and stations. Team members work collaboratively to deliver the latest urban natural resources science, technology and information to natural resources practitioners to improve the long-term sustainability of urban and community ecosystems. The webinars are held the second Wednesday of every other month from 1:00 to 2:15 ET.

This year, the team’s communications, including the Urban Forest Connections webinars, are organized around three key themes:

Series 1: Racial equity and environmental justice (spring 2022)

Series 2: Mitigating urban heat (summer 2022)

Series 3: Climate change resilience and adaptation (fall 2022)

The next webinar will be held April 13. Dr. Cassandra Johnson, research social scientist with the Southern Research Station, will present research findings on the tension between distressed social conditions and environmental preservation in Atlanta’s South River watershed. Allen Doyle with the South River Forest Coalition will outline recent efforts the coalition has made to establish the “South River Forest.” The webinar will also include a discussion on the historical background of greenspace emergence in Metro Atlanta, how existing social inequities may detract from civic environmentalism, and efforts to include neighborhoods and stakeholders that have sometimes been overlooked.

In addition to the webinar series, the team manages Vibrant Cities Lab in partnership with American Forests and the National Association of Regional Councils. Vibrant Cities Lab provides research, case studies and an urban forestry toolkit to help to help city managers, policymakers and advocates build thriving urban forest programs.

Urban Forest Connections webinars are open to all and typically offer 1.0 ISA CEU credit for each live broadcast.

For questions, feedback, requests for special accommodations or speaker suggestions, contact the Urban Forest Technology & Science Delivery Team at SM.FS.urban@usda.gov. To receive future webinar notices and announcements, sign up for the team’s mailing list. More information and recordings of previous webinars are available on the Urban Forest Connections website.