Federal to Local, Making Tree Equity a Reality - 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW)

Recorded On: 10/06/2024

The Forest Service is committed to growing America's urban forests. Cities need more trees and canopy coverage to ensure residents receive essential ecological services equitably. This presentation delves into urban forestry and tree equity, highlighting how federal efforts lead to effective local strategies and the critical role landscape architects play.

Learning objectives:

Be introduced to tree equity and ways to build resilient communities.
Recognize federal goals, initiatives, and associated funding opportunities regarding urban forestry.
Gain a practical understanding of urban forestry best practices for community engagement, design, and implementation.
Understand the Inflation Reduction Act and its impact on urban forestry and landscape architecture.

Gaylan D. Williams, ASLA, PLA, LEED AP

Assistant Professor

University of Wisconsin - Madison

Gaylan Williams is a skilled landscape architect with extensive experience in climate adaptation and hazard mitigation projects. He recently received a PhD in urban forestry. Williams' research focuses on utilizing blue-green infrastructure to combat climate change's adverse effects by quantifying the ecological services of trees to facilitate sustainable design decisions. Gaylan is currently completing a postdoctoral research fellowship with the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Quintaniay Holifield, PhD

Assistant Director (Acting), Urban & Community Forestry Program

USDA Forest Service

Quintaniay Holifield, Assistant Director (Acting) for Cooperative Forestry at USDA Forest Service in Washington, DC, is the national lead for the agency’s Urban and Community Forestry Program (UCF), the only program dedicated to urban forestry in the federal government. She oversees program policy, budget, partnership development, and developing strategies for the equitable delivery of federal and state urban forestry programs across throughout the United States and Territories. By making investments from the ground up in communities, UCF is improving more than 140 million acres of urban and community forest across the Nation.

Stephen Sanchez, ASLA

Principal

HGOR Landscape Architects

Steve Sanchez is a professional landscape architect with over 37 years of experience designing environments that reflect natural environments of the region. Steve promotes the use of native plant material to increase biodiversity and restore natural system functions throughout the Southeast. Recognized for his research, analysis, and design approach, he is an expert in restoring the natural and built environment. Steve is passionate about environmental issues and regularly volunteers to speak to various local organizations on relevant topics. In addition, Steve, working with local nurseries, has introduced several poorly represented specie selections to help advance their availability to Landscape Architects.