THE relationship between cityscapes and so-called “urban forests” is to receive a root and branch review as part of a major conference hosted by the University of Dundee.
The University’s Botanic Garden and the Urban ReLeaf project team, collaborators in a cross-continent environment initiative, will host the fourth European i-Tree Conference and Urban ReLeaf plenary on campus this week.
The event precedes the launch later this month of a new app that will invite Dundonians to contribute citizen-generated data about greenspace in the city.
Welcoming delegates from several countries, the event will focus on how data can be collected and utilised from urban forests to develop how these can be used for the benefit of the public.
Kevin Frediani, Curator of the Botanic Garden, said: “Our urban greenspaces are valuable resources, with significant public health benefits.
“Hosting the European i-Tree conference is a significant honour.
“To share the work we are doing here with our continental partners will hopefully inspire the people of Dundee – and beyond – to get involved and work with us to ensure our greenspaces are given the recognition they deserve.”
Professor Mel Woods, Principal Investigator for Urban ReLeaf, said: “Urban ReLeaf is about involving diverse communities and people across six cities, including Dundee, to harness the benefits of nature for the greater good, ensuring that greenspaces are recognised and designed to meet their potential to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change.”
By 2050, it is expected that 83.7% of Europe’s population will live in cities, a marked increase from the estimated 72% in 2015.
While cities provide opportunities and infrastructure, residents also face threats such as harmful levels of air pollution, the heat island effect and extreme weather events which are becoming increasingly severe due to climate change.
Urban ReLeaf promotes collaboration between local communities and public authorities to address urgent climate issues related to urban greenspace planning, heat stress, air pollution, flooding and biodiversity loss.
The project is a partnership between 15 academic and private sector partners as well as the cities of Athens, Cascais, Dundee, Mannheim, Riga, and Utrecht.
The Horizon Europe-funded project is now in its second year and builds on research into citizen observatories led by Professor Woods.
She and colleagues from the University are working with Dundee City Council to deliver a pilot monitoring a range of environmental issues that relate to the built environment.
Members of the public can get involved by using a mobile phone app and website to share data on the local environment, or by sharing their perceptions at in-person events.
At a later stage, they will also be able to install sensors to gather real-time climatic information.
By gathering evidence, citizens can organise local responses to help improve the urban design of their local area.
While nature-based solutions related to the expansion of urban greenspace and tree planting can provide cooling effects, decrease air pollution, and improve mental health, decision making is still a challenge for authorities due to the lack of reliable environmental data to inform the locations that would most benefit from these measures.
The European i-Tree Conference takes place from Wednesday 19 to Thursday 20 June.
