Join us at the 4th European i-Tree Conference and Urban ReLeaf Conference, in the beautiful city of Dundee, Scotland.
The conferences will provide a great opportunity to connect with experts and practitioners from a wide range of disciplines: municipalities, citizen associations, civil society organisations, businesses, authoritative data agencies, urban planners, architects, and more.
This year’s theme is Turning data into action, in and around the urban forest.
Urban forests play an indispensable role in enhancing environmental quality, human health, and the overall liveability of cities. The myriad benefits offered by trees, ranging from carbon sequestration and air pollution mitigation to aesthetic and recreational value, collectively constitute the ecosystem services they provide. While the importance of these services is widely recognised, their quantification, particularly in urban settings, remains challenging. There is a plethora of data that can be generated from our urban forests, and a variety of different methodologies are currently in use. i-Tree is one such methodology, and has been used in over 100 countries worldwide. The results from an i-Tree project can be used to make decisions, develop policies, and set priorities around treescapes. But it’s not always easy to see how such data can be translated into action. The i-Tree conference aims to bridge the gap between technology and environmental science, focusing on the latest research that enables detailed, accurate, and scalable measurement of the ecosystem services provided by trees in urban areas.
At the i-Tree Conference, you will hear from Belfast, The Netherlands, and Forest Research UK, about i-Tree projects that have yielded concrete action on the ground. We hope that these stories will inspire others to take up their own i-Tree projects and make positive change. You will also hear from the Davey Group in the US about what i-Tree is, and its latest features, and from the University of Florence on the evolution of digital tools, their limitations, and the future of ecosystem service measurement.
But it’s not all about i-Tree! Tony Kirkham (author and presenter) will be joining us to talk about ‘A Lifetime with Trees’, the legacy of his work and its importance in establishing resilient, diverse and sustainable treescapes in the face of climate change. Tony will share his personal thoughts on what the future holds and how understanding our treescapes through i-Tree can be useful. We will also be joined by Blair Parkin of the Eden Project, who will be sharing their vision for a landmark development in Dundee, transforming a former gasworks into a beacon for green tourism. The Dundee Eden Project will encourage visitors to learn from and be inspired by nature. Kevin Frediani, Curator of Dundee Botanic Garden, will discuss the collaborative work that is happening across the landscapes of Dundee. He will also share his ideas on greenspaces as places that become imbued with emotion by the actions and reactions of people and the environment.
At the Urban ReLeaf Conference, you will hear from a range of speakers from the Urban ReLeaf Community of Practice. Urban ReLeaf promotes collaboration between local communities and public authorities, to address urgent climate issues related to urban greenspace planning, heat stress, and air pollution. Together with six European cities, it nurtures citizen-powered environmental monitoring projects that bring the benefits of nature to everyone. Its mission focuses on community placemaking, public sector innovation, and tailored strategies for creating greener, more equitable and resilient cities for all. Speakers will share their stories of how citizens across the community have been empowered, and how liveable, green and resilient cities are being developed.
The Dundee Treescapes Tour is included as part of the i-Tree Conference registration fee and open to delegate partners to attend free of charge.
The organisers of the conference are Treeconomics & the University of Dundee Botanic Garden.
For further information and to register, visit: https://www.meetdundeecityregion.co.uk/attending/conferences/4th-european-i-tree-conference-2024-dundee