Renowned expert on trees, green spaces and public health in urban environments, Professor Cecil Konijnendijk, is to chair one of the foremost international conferences on tree research and urban greenspace which comes to Birmingham in 2020.
Trees, People and the Built Environment 4 (TPBE4), an international event which is held every three years, encompasses the Institute of Chartered Foresters’ annual national conference, organised in partnership with up to 20 academic institutions.
It is being held at the University of Birmingham from 22 to 23 April 2020 and is a unique platform for international researchers to reveal and showcase their very latest work relating to green infrastructure. Booking is now open.
The conference is being held at a time when trees in cities and towns are regarded as having a vital role in helping nations to reduce their carbon footprint and also in improving health and well-being with research already indicating that just looking at a tree on the way to work can improve your mood.
Sharon Hosegood, FICFor, Vice President of the ICF and Managing Director of arboricultural consultancy Sharon Hosegood Associates, said: “Never before has there been a greater need to understand the multi-faceted benefits our urban trees provide. At a time of increasing pressures, coupled with an increasing public awakening, it is time to embrace new thinking, research, and to share best practice”.
“Professor Cecil Konijnendijk will chair the Trees and the Built Environment Conference 4, not only to bring a global perspective and a wealth of experience, but, alongside international experts, to help us help our urban trees,” she added.
Professor Konijnendijk has helped to develop a popular undergraduate degree in urban forestry at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver, Canada, where he is Professor of Urban Forestry. He studies, teaches, and advises on the role of trees and green space in cities and towns.
“Trees, People and the Built Environment has become one of the world’s leading events for those of us working with trees, forests, parks, and other vegetation in cities and towns. I am delighted to chair the fourth edition of this important conference”, said Professor Konijnendijk.
His particular interests include green space governance, people-nature relationships and cultural ecosystem services, and the implementation of urban forestry and urban greening programmes. At UBC he also heads the Urban Forestry Research in Action (UFORIA) lab, a group of about 20 urban forestry scholars from four different continents.
Professor Konijnendijk currently holds visiting professorships at three Chinese scholarly institutions. He is founding editor-in-chief of the journal ‘Urban Forestry and Urban Greening’ and editor of the Springer ‘Future City’ book series. He is a prolific writer, and has (co-)authored books such as ‘Urban Forests and Trees’, ‘The City and the Forest: The cultural landscape of urban woodland’ and the ‘Routledge Handbook of Urban Forestry’.
Booking is now open for the conference. Details can be found at:
https://charteredforesters.org/event/trees-people-built-environment-4/
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