CBRCanada E-Learning: “Neighbourwoods & Neighbours: A Community-University Collaboration” – May 8, 2025

Session Description

May E-Learning Event, hosted by Community-Based Research Canada 

Urban trees, whether individually or collectively, are essential components of livable, sustainable, and healthy communities, providing residents with numerous ecological and social benefits. Most trees in urban areas are located on privately owned lands and in residential neighborhoods; consequently, their conservation and management fall to residents and community members. While public trees are often well-documented, managed, and researched, there is limited knowledge concerning trees on private properties.

Since 2018, the Long Branch Neighbourhood Association (LBNA), a volunteer-led community organization, has partnered with Neighbourwoods® and the University of Toronto’s Forestry at Daniels Faculty to address significant tree canopy loss, urban forest conservation, and stewardship in their Toronto neighbourhood. Neighbourwoods®, founded by Dr. Kenney and Dr. Puric-Mladenovic, is a tree inventory, monitoring, and stewardship tool that bridges the gap between academic research and communities. It empowers residents by enhancing their understanding of the urban forest and encourages them to actively participate in its stewardship and management. By adopting the Neighbourwoods® protocol, LBNA has inventoried over 12,000 trees, trained groups of summer students, created the annual community event TreeFest, and empowered residents to care for their urban canopy. This unique collaboration between academia and the community serves as a model for how grassroots action and academic expertise can help conserve and manage urban forests while engaging urban communities. This partnership also underscores the transformative potential of such collaboration for the benefit of both the community and academia.

Presenters:

• Danijela Puric-Mladenovic, Assistant Professor, John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design, University of Toronto
• Judy Gibson, Chair, Tree Canopy Preservation and Enhancement Committee

This is part of CBRCanada’s e-Learning series “Community-Based Research Responding to Crises Series”.