Published Papers

Published
papers

We work with scientists and forest stewards to craft original research to show why greenery matters.

Cities and the Environment

Preservation, Regulations, and Policy to Protect and Grow Baltimore’s Forests.

To further advance the efforts of Baltimore Green Space, Baltimore’s Department of Recreation and Parks, and Baltimore’s Office of Sustainability, a process is underway to propose new regulations that would better protect and mitigate impacts of development on trees and forested natural areas.

Assessing Urban Forest Patch Health: A Protocol from Baltimore

Created with University of Maryland, Baltimore County; Johns Hopkins University; the USDA Forest Service; and Baltimore Green Space

This document is designed for anyone interested in learning more about the health indicators of your city’s forest patches, such as native plants, invasive plants, and soil health.

Leadership Learning Communities

Scientific Sustenance, and Adventures in Inspiration Feedback Loops in Baltimore, Maryland

Reviews the launch of Baltimore Green Space’s Forest Stewardship program, as well as the production of original research with University of Maryland, Baltimore County and the US Forest Service into Baltimore Tree Canopy.

Forest Ethnography

An approach to study the environmental history and political ecology of urban forests.

This paper describes a research approach called “forest ethnography,” which we are piloting in Baltimore as part of the Baltimore Ecosystem Study (BES). This urban forest specific approach can contribute to our understanding of both forest environmental history and urban political ecology.

Urban Ecosystems

Conceptualizing social-ecological drivers of change in urban forest patches

Introducing a conceptual model of the urban forest patch as a complex social-ecological system, incorporating cross-scale interactions.

The Capacity of Urban Forest Patches

The capacity of urban forest patches to infiltrate stormwater is influenced by soil physical properties and soil moisture

Urbanization alters the hydrologic cycle by creating impervious surfaces (e.g. roofs, parking lots, and roads) and compacting soils, reducing watershed infiltration capacity.

Benefits of Urban Community-Managed Open Space

Green spaces can become multi-tasking oases that provide social, economic, and environmental benefits.

Baltimore’s nearly 12,000 vacant lots – 5 percent of all parcels in the city – reduce property residents’ quality of life and depress property values.