Class to Date!
University of Tennessee,
Knoxville Associate
Professor of Urban Forestry
and first-time member of
the MFI Teaching Cadre
Sharon Jean-Philippe
lectured on "Leading by
Managing Change." Photo
by Owen Croy
DIVERSITY in MFI
With more than 83% of the U.S. population (322
million) currently living in towns and cities (urban
areas), urban and community forests are a vital
component of the urban infrastructure that pro-
vides enormous environmental, ecological, and
social-economic benefits when managed properly.
As indicated in the Ten-Year Urban Forestry Action Plan
(2016-2026) by the National Urban and Community
Forestry Advisory Council and USDA-FS National Urban
and Community Forestry Program, one of the stra-
tegic focus areas is to cultivate diversity, equity, and
leadership in urban and community forestry. This
will ensure that a diversified workforce can be devel-
oped to establish, maintain, and sustain the nation's
urban and community forest resources at all levels.
As such, actions are needed to engage minorities, women,
and underserved communities in urban and commu-
nity forestry education, leadership development, and
promote expanded collaboration, training, and commu-
nication with professional organizations within the field
of urban and community forestry to build a diversified
green workforce. Therefore, DIVERSITY in MFI was a
collaborative effort between the Society of Municipal
Arborists and its Municipal Forestry Institute, Southern
University Department of Urban Forestry and Natural
Resources, and USDA-FS National Urban and Community
Forestry Program to enhance national minority lead-
ership training in urban and community forestry.
Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge,
Louisiana is the only HBCU university in the nation
that offers a comprehensive urban forestry educa-
tion program leading to BS, MS, and PhD degrees in
urban forestry. The program was established in 1992
with support from the USDA Forest Service and the
Louisiana Board of Regents. After 25 years of partner-
ship with the USDA Forest Service, Southern University
has made and continues to make significant contribu-
tions to diversifying the nation's workforce in urban
and community forestry and natural resources.
www.urban-forestry.com 17
