University of TorontoSunday, August 19th to Thursday, August 23th, 2007
For many decades now, Canada has been primarily an urban society.
With more than 80% of Canadians living in what Statistics Canada terms "urban areas", the forests in our settled landscapes are the closest connection many of us have to the natural environment. Many privately-owned woodlands within the urban and agricultural matrix are "working forests" that can provide a sustainable supply of high quality forest products, while still contributing significant ecological and social benefits.
The forests of our settled landscapes also include the trees that grace our streets, parks and yards. Not only do our urban forests improve the quality of life for the majority of Canadians, they help to mitigate some of the negative impacts of urbanization on the environment within our communities and beyond. The semi-natural areas of our ravines and urban woodlands are critical to the well-being of many waterways and wetlands that protect our water resources, while providing habitat for wildlife and recreational retreats for city-dwellers. These are but a few of the features that make up the natural heritage of settled landscapes.
Agricultural development and urban expansion have transformed the pre-settlement landscapes of Canada into a patchwork of woodlands and other natural features with varying degrees of fragmentation and disturbance. The restoration of forest cover and the protection and enhancement of linkages among features is critical if the forests of our settled landscape are to continue to provide ecological, social and economic benefits well into the future.
From our downtown cores to the edges of the settled landscapes, landowners, foresters and allied professionals, scientists, policy-makers, concerned citizens and others are addressing these rapidly evolving challenges and opportunities in many exciting ways.
Over the course of the conference, three broad streams will be addressed in a series of plenary and concurrent session: 1) Regional Landscape Planning; 2) Private Land Forestry and Stewardship; and 3) Urban Forestry. A fourth "stream" will highlight the work of university students addressing these issues. Sessions will run from August 20th to 22nd, with field tours on August 23rd.