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WK-22:
State of the city: What’s the
status of urban ecosystem research and how can we create a research agenda?
Endorsed by the ESA Urban Ecology Section
Sunday, August 7, 1 PM - 5 PM, Meeting Room 511d, Level 5,
Palais des congrès de Montréal
Fee:
$10 US Dollars per person – includes afternoon refreshments.
Minimum: 10
Maximum: 40
Organizers:
Nancy Golubiewski
(GolubiewskiN@landcareresearch.co.nz),
Margaret Carreiro, and Laura Meyerson
Description:
The State
of the Nation’s Ecosystems report, published by The Heinz Center, promoted a
set of national and ecosystem-specific indicators for assessing ecosystem
quality and the effects of environmental policy. Released in 2002, the report
also revealed the status of existing data needed for the indicators. Only about
one third of all proposed indicators have all necessary data. This workshop will
bring together those interested in urban research to discuss what we know, what
we don’t know, and how to create an agenda for urban research. Nine of the 15
indicators identified for Urban and Suburban Areas either have inadequate data:
total impervious area; species status; disruptive species; status of animal
communities in urban/suburban streams; publicly accessible open space per
resident, or require further development of specific measurements—streambank
vegetation; suburban/rural land-use change; urban heat island; and natural
ecosystem services. The workshop will consist of four parts: (1)
a review of the status of each indicator; (2) a dialogue about coordinating
research efforts/data collection methodologies for increasing the data available
for the five inadequately-described indicators above; (3) a discussion to define
specific measurements for the four indicators above requiring further
development; and (4) an exploration of the possibility for developing a
research/data clearinghouse in order to collate the data necessary for
indicators to support national reporting of the urban/suburban environment.
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