Canada’s urban forests play a critical role in local environmental systems and conditions, and will likely be the most influential forest of the 21st century (Nowak et al. 2001; Dwyer et al. 2003). Winnipeg is home to the largest remaining elm forest in North America and has a long and unique history with its residents. While a great deal of research has examined the many urban forest benefits, there was opportunity to further develop an understanding of residents expressed values and preferences in relation to Winnipeg’s urban forest ecosystems. The study adopted a qualitative research approach, collecting data through multiple methods including site tours, participant journals, photo elicitation, and follow-up semi-structured interviews. The results indicate that Winnipeggers have deeply held urban forest values, particularly in relation to aesthetics, naturalness and biodiversity, and social values such as recreation and alternative uses. Personal development of the values held began early in life, has occurred over time, and is continually reassessed through critical reflection.

Canada’s urban forests play a critical role in local environmental systems and conditions, and will likely be the most influential forest of the 21st century (Nowak et al. 2001; Dwyer et al. 2003). Winnipeg is home to the largest remaining elm forest in North America and has a long and unique history with its residents. While a great deal of research has examined the many urban forest benefits, there was opportunity to further develop an understanding of residents expressed values and preferences in relation to Winnipeg’s urban forest ecosystems. The study adopted a qualitative research approach, collecting data through multiple methods including site tours, participant journals, photo elicitation, and follow-up semi-structured interviews. The results indicate that Winnipeggers have deeply held urban forest values, particularly in relation to aesthetics, naturalness and biodiversity, and social values such as recreation and alternative uses. Personal development of the values held began early in life, has occurred over time, and is continually reassessed through critical reflection.

Tree selection is critical to ensuring that urban forests are diverse, healthy, and adapted to the urban environment. Climate is one of the main controllers of plant distribution around the world, so tree species are expected to redistribute as a result of climate change. This research aimed to identify which eastern North American tree species should be most suited for planting in urban areas in Halifax given impending climate change. A database was developed for 57 tree species and 95 tree characteristics to enable analysis of tree species native to eastern North America. The results of previous climate envelope research and the database were used to identify the tree species most suitable for planting in Halifax. Of the 57 tree species examined, 16 were identified as most suited for the Halifax urban forest of the 21st century.

This report analyzes urban tree canopy cover (UTC) in Austin, Texas in 2006 using a Geographic Information System (GIS) geoprocessing method developed by the U.S. Forest Service. Findings reveal where UTC exists, could exist, and where it could be prioritized (physically speaking) throughout the Austin region. Results are explained through the context of natural regions and land use to further characterize the urban forest distribution with the purpose of gaining valuable big-picture insights as to where environmental benefits have resulted from local land use planning decisions, development tendencies, and forestry management practices in Austin. / text

In an increasingly urbanized world, how cities are designed and built affect how urbanites connect to the natural world and develop an ecological consciousness. Findings indicate that people value different urban landscapes for unique reasons but that urban trees provide numerous aesthetic, psychological, social, educational, ecological, moral and economic benefits. Many urban forest values are interwoven across these value categories. How people defined nature, what emotional states the landscape engendered and how they were able to actively engage with natural elements within urban landscapes all influenced participants? sense of belonging to a broader natural community. Overall, findings support the notion that naturalized spaces, even small spaces, can invoke a sense of connectedness with nature within participants. Yet, many respondents suggest that urban nature experiences may not be enough for the general population to develop an ecological consciousness, rather that they require additional educational support.

Urban and industrial settings represent potential areas for increased carbon (C) sequestration and storage through intensified tree growth. Consisting of an estimated 1270 ha of land once entirely forested, Burnside Industrial Park (BIP) in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. Our study examines the degree to which intensified urban tree planting within the BIP ecosystem could enhance C sequestration and storage. This was achieved by conducting a geospatial analysis in combination with construction of a C model. Three scenarios urban forest development were examined. If all potential planting spots are filled with trees by 2020, an estimated 26,368 tC, at a sequestration rate of 635 tC/yr, could be achieved by 2050. Next, we explored the challenges and opportunities associated with pursuing C offset markets as a means for funding urban forest development within BIP. A basic framework from which a community?based C offset market could potentially be established was recommended.

With more than half of the world’s population concentrated in urban areas, urban services are crucial for people’s lives. Some of these services are provided by urban trees, which are valued positively by most people. However, urban forest management (UFM) today faces a number of challenges, including accounting for the values of the public and climate change. These two are connected, since climate-driven biophysical changes will affect value provision and people’s urban forest values will determine the management direction by which we address the climate challenge. This study aims to understand how to incorporate public values and climate change in UFM by examining how people value the urban forest, how these values are managed, how urban forests are vulnerable to climate change, and how this vulnerability affects value provision. To address these questions, I review the urban forest values literature and reveal opportunities for research. Later I examine the content of 14 Canadian urban forest management plans and reveal that UFM today lacks detail in ecological and social themes. I argue that a management paradigm based on what the citizens consider important about urban forests may help deal with these shortcomings. I present urban forest values research from three Colombian cities (Bogotá, Cali, Pereira) using field tours, personal diaries, and focus groups. I then integrate this research with similar research in Canada to build a values typology that portrays how the public values the urban forest. I then review climate change in UFM and argue that climate change vulnerability assessments (CCVAs) are crucial for embracing climate adaptation in UFM. I present CCVA research in three Canadian urban forests (Halifax, London, Saskatoon) using an exploratory and expert-based method. I demonstrate that the survival of young trees and mal-adapted tree species are important sensitivity factors in urban forests. By mapping how urban forest vulnerability to climate change will affect value provision I argue that climate change is both a threat and an opportunity to bring specificity to ecological and social themes in UFM and to veer towards a UFM style that: plants more trees close to infrastructure and people; ensures tree survival by experimenting with different planting techniques and more-natural arrangements; embraces adaptive management and public engagement; and facilitates ecosystem transition without reducing values satisfaction.

Orientador: Luiz Mauro Barbosa / Banca: Osvaldo Aulino da Silva / Banca: Marco Antonio de Assis / Banca: Luiz Roberto Hernandez Bicudo / Banca: Osmar Cavassan / Resumo: O estudo foi realizado no Parque Ecológico do Guarapiranga em área urbana na zona sul de São Paulo. O Parque está inserido no domínio de Mata Atlântica que no bioma de floresta tropical corresponde a um dos mais ameaçados do mundo, apresentando poucas áreas remanescentes. As espécies que estão caracterizando a estrutura dos fragmentos estudados indicam que estes encontram-se o início da sucessão ecológica com o estabelecimento de Cecropia pachystachya, uma espécie pioneira. Com o desenvolvimento do processo sucessional surgem as espécies secundárias iniciais representadas por Tibouchina mutabilis e Alchornea sidifolia. A sucessão se completa quando o sub-bosque começa a ser dominado por espécies secundárias tardias, no caso por Bathysa meridionalis, sendo que essas espécies se substituem compondo a dinâmica da sucessão. Apesar do alto impacto antrópico os fragmentos ainda contêm alguns elementos característicos da Mata Atlântica mantendo vários aspectos de funcionalidade em relação ao processo de sucessão florestal. / Abstract: The study site is located in urban area in Guarapiranga Ecological Park, SP inside Atlantic forest dominium. This is one of the world most threatened biome of tropical rain forest with small areas reminiscences. The species that are charactering the structure the fragments show the beginning the succession with establish of the Cecropia pachystachya, on pioneer species; with the succession development appear the secondary early species represented by Tibouchina mutabilis e Alchornea sidifolia. The succession finished when the sub-Bosque is dominated with secondary later species, in this case for Bathysa meridionalis. This species substitute composed the succession evolution. Though the great impact in this dominium, some areas have characterized elements of the Atlantic Forest with several aspects of the functionality with the succession forest evolution. / Doutor

Black carbon (BC), a stable form of organic carbon (OC), is a byproduct of the incomplete combustion of biomass, biofuels, and fossil fuel. The main objectives of this research are to examine the spatial distribution of OC and BC in urban soil and determine the influence of tree canopy cover and landscape maintenance on soil carbon accumulation. Soil sampling was conducted at 29 sites throughout the City of Denton, Texas, in May 2019. Samples were collected from underneath post oak canopies and in adjacent open areas and were analyzed for total carbon (TC), total organic carbon (TOC), total N (TN), C:N ratio, and BC. Although maintenance levels had no significant effect, TOC was greater underneath trees (5.47%, 5.30 kg/m2) than lawns (3.58%, 4.84 kg/m2) at the surface 0-10 cm. Total nitrogen concentration was also greater underneath trees (0.43%) than lawns (0.31%) at the surface 0-10 cm. Preliminary results for BC were closely correlated to TOC. The lack of difference in C:N ratio between cover types indicates that leaf litter quality may not be the primary driving factor in soil C and N accumulation. Instead, differences in soil properties may be best explained by manual C inputs and greater atmospheric deposition of C and N to soils with tree canopy cover. Identifying patterns and potential drivers of soil OC and BC accumulation is important because soil carbon sequestration not only reduces atmospheric CO2, but also may provide additional pollution mitigation benefits, thereby contributing to a more sustainable urban environment.

Urban forests perform essential ecological functions, and their performance is dependent on soil quality, which is often degraded by human activity. Because earthworms play a key role in soil health, augmenting earthworm populations in urban soils may improve tree performance. However, we know very little about earthworm ecology in highly urbanized soils. The objectives of our study were: (1) to assess earthworm demographics across a range of urban land uses and (2) to evaluate earthworm augmentation techniques for rehabilitating disturbed soils and improving tree growth. 1. We conducted an observational study across three landuse types to assess earthworm abundance and diversity as well as associated soil properties. Earthworm abundance and biomass in were affected by land use type, disturbance time frame, and seasonality. Earthworm abundance and biomass were affected by a suite of complex soil and temporal variables, and soil temperature and moisture seemed to be the most influential properties. 2. We conducted an earthworm inoculation experiment on a compacted cut-fill field soil with a very low existing earthworm population. In 2008, three soil treatments (control, compost, and compost + earthworm) were applied to 2 m2 plots into which two common urban tree species with contrasting soil tolerances were planted (Acer rubrum and Cornus florida). We measured soil physical and chemical properties along with earthworm survival and soil respiration. Earthworm inoculation did not succeed in improving bulk density or increasing soil organic matter, yet it was successful in increasing soil CEC, Fe, and Mn relative to compost only effects. / Master of Science