growth and long-term sustainability for urban forests.
The key to knowledge exchange is first to respect all
actors for the individual roles they play in our urban
fabric; to keep an open mind and actively listen to
one another; and, finally, to keep the lines of com-
munication open through as many avenues and tools
as possible (e.g. conferences, workshops, listserves,
open-access resources, discussion forums, formal
and informal education, community events).
Examples of formal networks at our national level
include the Canadian chapters of the International
Society of Arboriculture and the Canadian Urban
Forest Network. I would like to see more dialogue
between these two groups of membership. A trans-
disciplinary approach that focuses on problem-based
research and better integrating formal curriculum with
critical social issues can help with exchanging knowl-
edge (see here for a recent blog post, "The Social
Side of Things").
In addition, alternative models of
sharing knowledge and stories through media plat-
forms and artistic interventions can challenge our
own biases and enable us to envision better collab-
oration between the different groups.
Furthermore, I have always valued centres such as
the
Humber Arboretum & Centre for Urban Ecology
for their work with surrounding communities, stu-
dents, and public engagement; thus, the creation
of provincial arboreta with learning or education
centres is something that I've felt to be necessary
in Canada—this could include programs featuring
provincial trees coupled with stories of regional
histories (e.g. social, ecological, aboriginal, political,
economic). The location of such centres can be in
conjunction with research or educational institu
-
tions, in collaboration with environmental non-gov-
Photo by: Adrina C. Bardekjian
18 City Trees
