Expanding the vision of the experimental forest and range network to Urban Areas

Abstract

After 100 years, the USDA Forest Service has emerging opportunities to expand the Experimental Forest and Range (EFR) network to urban areas. The purpose of this expansion would be to broaden the types of ecosystems studied, interdisciplinary approaches used, and relevance to society of the EFR network through long-term and large-scale social-ecological projects in urban areas. The goals of these urban long-term research areas (ULTRAs) are to create scientifically rigorous knowledge of our urban regions and provide information needed to address current and future social-ecological problems. The first of the four sections of this chapter explains the importance of understanding cities. Motivations for understanding cities are practical, scientific, and fundamental to the Forest Service's mission. The extension of the EFR network can play a critical role in understanding the social and ecological dynamics of cities and serve the majority of Americans directly, where they live. In the second section, I identify key traits of ULTRA projects: What features they share with existing EFR sites and how they differ? A key feature of the EFR network is its focus on applied research. An example from the Baltimore Field Station illustrates how ULTRAs can catalyze and inform partnerships between research and decision making. In the third section, I detail the current status of the ULTRA effort. I conclude with a look at how the ULTRA program can continue its contribution to science and society.