Urban Extension: A Professional Development Offering

Tampa Bay Watershed Forest Project, Flor ida, University of Flor ida

Urban Forest Conservation, Ethics and Science

How the Tampa Bay Forest Working Group (TBFWG) is positioned at the national, state, regional, and city levels:

In 2005 the University of Florida IFAS Extension organized and facilitated 9 meetings of private citizens, non-profit conservation groups and government natural resource agencies. The meetings led to development of a Mission and Goals that continue to serve as a framework for collaboration. Their purpose is to organize a scientific framework for the ecological assessment and sustainable management of the urban forest ecosystems. A core group of collaborators, known as the Tampa Bay Forest Working Group (TBFWG) includes non-profits organizations; local, state and federal agencies; and universities. Today they provide the technical backbone for 14 years of ongoing monitoring of forest resources; development of science-based plans for the conservation of region’s urban forest, strategic planning for the management of nearly 70,000 acres of urban forest natural areas; and ongoing analysis of bio-physical and social inventories. At the core of the work is an endeavor to develop a sustainable urban forest management system. Unlike older and continuously funded management systems developed for National Forests, state forests and private land holdings (CFM), national and state urban forestry programs lack the organizational infrastructure to support sustainable management and attainment of long-term eco – social goals.

Florida Statewide

Demographic Categories

Black/African:

16.13%

Asian:

2.68%

White:

75.67%

Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander:

0.06%

Native Alaskan/Native American:

0.28%

Two or more races:

2.54%

Other race:

2.64%

Median age:

42

Total Population:

21,646,155

How the Tampa Bay Forest Working Group (TBFWG) addresses the multitude of issues and priorities in their community through educational programming:

The TBFWG uses a multidisciplinary approach to urban forest conservation.

Urban forest conservation is primarily a social endeavor. Urban forest management, including arboriculture, operate within a value-laden context. Successful management requires an understanding of the social values which drive political decision-making, as well as an understanding of ecosystem function and process. The

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