Recognizing the need for interdisciplinary dialogue focused on the intersection of urban forestry and public health, Cornell University Cooperative Extension-NYC and Cornell University's Department of Horticulture, for the first time, brought stakeholders together to discuss cutting-edge research and application in this emerging new area. Scientists, educators, policy-makers, community leaders and management practitioners, representing multiple departments at Cornell, other academic institutions, government and non-profit organizations, convened at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City to present current research, exchange ideas, and discuss unmet needs and opportunities for collaboration.

Discussion among researchers & practitioners 

Main Conclusions

·         Urban landscapes are complex, given multiple and interacting natural and built variables (such as parcelization, built structures, environmental changes, vestiges of native ecosystems, etc.).

·         There are multiple benefits and costs of establishing and maintaining trees in urban landscapes, which are impacted by the health, longevity, and location of trees.  Context-- such as spatial arrangement, juxtaposition, connectivity-- is important.

·         There are many emission sources of particulate matter (PM), including transportation, industry, power generation. Given cities' small geographic areas, diversity of pollutants, heat island effect, etc., the chances for secondary reactions are high.

·         Epidemiological studies show correlations between atmospheric PM and public health. In many cases communities of color are disproportionately exposed.

·         Spatiotemporal distribution of PM sources, deposition, and resuspension is complex.  Heterogeneity is high at all scales, making it difficult to predict human exposure in time and space.

·         Trees are relatively inefficient filters of fine PM. Given the high inputs of PM and the small area that could be devoted to canopy cover, quantifying the effect of vegetation on ambient PM concentration in cities is especially difficult.

·         Policy considerations include tradeoffs and possible source control of emissions and/or changes in behavior.  Symposium participants were not aware of colleagues' research in these interdisciplinary areas and expressed interest to continue the dialogue and explore collaborative areas for further study.

Presenters

EcoJustice and the Urban Forest  
Charles Lord, Urban Ecology Institute, Boston 
[ PDF]  [ Audio1]  [  Audio2]

State of NYC’s Urban Forest: Community Forestry Management case study  
Jennifer Greenfeld, New York City Department of Parks and Recreation  
[PDF]  [  Audio1]  [  Audio2]

Needs of the Urban Designer   
Nina Bassuk, Urban Horticulture Institute, Cornell University 
[PDF]  [  Audio1]  [  Audio2]

The Regulatory Perspective: State Implementation Plan 
Robert Sliwinski, Bureau of Air Quality Planning, Division of Air Resources, NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation  
[PDF]  [  Audio1]  [  Audio2]

Ecosystem Service Valuation of the Urban Forest  
Dave Nowak, US Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Syracuse
[PDF]  [  Audio1]  [  Audio2]

Evidence Linking Particulate Matter (PM) and Asthma  
Katherine Squibb, Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Univ. of Maryland School of Medicine 
[PDF]  [  Audio1]  [  Audio2]

Large Scale Patterns of PM in the NY Metro Area  
Art DeGaetano, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Cornell University   
[PDF]  [  Audio1]  [  Audio2]

Local Patterns of PM 
Max Zhang, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University   
[PDF]  [ Audio1]  [  Audio2]

Vegetation and PM 
Tom Whitlow, Urban Horticulture Institute, Cornell University
[PDF]  [  Audio1]  [  Audio2]

Policy to Achieve Goals: Perspectives from Water Resources Planning   
Stuart Schwartz, Center for Urban Environmental Research and Education, Univ. of Maryland, Baltimore County 
[PDF]  [  Audio1]  [  Audio2]