ANR CE Specialist in Urban Landscape Ecology

ANR CE Specialist in Urban Landscape Ecology

ANR CE Specialist in Urban Landscape Ecology

Position Title:CE Specialist in Urban Landscape Ecology

Position:This CE Specialist will focus on impacts ofexisting and proposed policiesonthe interactions between biological, geochemical, geographic, physical, and socialprocesses in urban settings. For example, research on water conservationpolicies may elucidate both positive and negative impacts on the ecological services of urban systems. This position will evaluate policy impacts onecological systems and the environmental services they provide, develop strategies and management practices to establish and sustain these systems and services, and evaluate how policy may need to be altered in response to climate change.

This Specialist will apply principles of ecology in urban settings to increase understanding of interactions among ecological processes with specific attention to the role of vegetation in providing environmental, social, and economic services in urban systems. The multidisciplinary nature of this position will integrate research and extension activity across several ANR strategic initiatives such as Healthy Families and Communities, Sustainable Natural Ecosystems, and Water Quality, Quantity and Security.

The Specialist will provide much needed outreach and research linkages between existing programs in the UCD Departments of Plant Sciences, Human Ecology, Environmental Science & Policy, UCR Department of Environmental Sciences, research centers on campus, state and county based CE programs, and the urban forestry, civil engineering, landscape management, and landscape architecture professions. The Specialist will provide technical assistance and advice to professional organizations; municipal,state, federal, and local resource agencies; Office of the Governor; and the Legislature.

The successful candidate is expected to have a Ph.D. in ecology, environmental science, plant science, or a related science with understanding of plant and urban ecosystems. Experience in landscape horticulture, landscape architecture, urban planning, and/or community development is desirable.

Justification:Over 95% of California’s population lives in urban areas. The way these areas are managed will have a significant impact not only on residents, but also on the natural resources on which we all depend. All Californians will benefit from healthier urban environments created by understanding the roles and functions of various urban system components in providing ecological services. Specific benefits from this program would include: conservation of water and soils, sustainable management of urban green spaces, reducing urban storm water runoff, improving urban wildlife habitat, improving microclimate quality (e.g., reducing heat-island effects), reducing airborne particulate and noise pollution, and reducing water pollutants including nutrients, pesticides, human and plant pathogens, and sediments. Other benefits include community and social neighborhood revitalization and the accompanying social and health benefits to residents and visitors. Improving quality of life in cities may increase the acceptance of urban living and infill development, and facilitate improvements in planning urban development. In addition, municipalities throughout the state are developing plans and indices to determine and achieve ecological, economic, and social sustainability goals and these efforts can be enhanced by the further development of science-based information and citizen input.

Extension:This Specialist will develop an Extension program collaborating with other UC faculty, Specialists and Advisors to extend information integrating the design and management of urban landscapes with their ecosystem services. The Specialist will deliver technical assistance and advice to professional planners, regulators, and policymakers affiliated with state, regional and local agencies; developers; non-profit and community organizations; and K-12 and college educators. The extension and outreach program will provide science-based learning by engaging urban youth and adults to participate in research studies of urban issues related to ecology, horticulture, landscape architecture, and community design. Publication outlets forthis work arewideranging andincludejournals, magazines, and electronic media in ecology and urban ecosystems, environmental science, horticulture, planning, publicpolicy, and publichealth.

Research:The Specialist will studyurban landscapes and theecosystem services they provide,theirimpacts on naturalresources, and how changes in policy, management methods, plant selection, landscape design, climate change,and social structures affect environmental function. It is expected that changes to the management and design of landscapes could affect local and regional ecosystem services and microclimates, but this has not been well characterized or researched. Research conducted by this Specialistwill lead to betterknowledgeofthe roles and interactions ofthe individual featuresof urban landscapes, green spaces embedded within the urban matrix, and surroundingnatural systemsand the impacts of policy, management, and human activities onthe ecological services provided by urban landscapes. Betterunderstanding ofthestructureand function of urban ecosystems can lead to more effectivelandscape andcommunitydesigns, policy, and management practices thatenhance and sustain ecosystem services. Examples of research programs in which theSpecialist mayparticipateincludeprojecting the effects of imposed policy and regulationsor local effects of climate change, developing integrated management systems for urban forests includingurban forest carbon offsets, strategies to conserve local ecologically important native species, and measuring local benefits and impacts of landscapes that have been converted to reduce water use and other resources.

ANR Network:ThisSpecialist will work withother CE specialists (e.g., Urban Landscape Horticulture and Integrated Urban Water ManagementSpecialists), CE advisors, and faculty(e.g., UCD Departments of Plant Sciences and Human Ecology, UCR Department of Environmental Sciences). ANRgroupsengaged mayinclude theEnvironmentalHorticulture Program Team; theCaliforniaCommunities, ScienceTechnologyand EnvironmentalLiteracy,and WaterQualityWorkgroups;and the4-H Youth Development and MasterGardenerPrograms.

Network External to ANR: The Specialist will also form collaborations with the UCD Center for Regional Change and the CA Center for Urban Horticulture. The Specialist will provide the linkage between researchers in affiliated fields of study and stakeholders which include policy makers, regulatory agencies, educators, and community groups.

Support:The Department of Plant Sciences will provide travel funds, office and laboratory space, as well asinformation technology, human resource, and business office support.

Other support:Funding is available from programs at the federal, state (e.g., Natural Resources Agency: Strategic Growth Council Urban Greening and CA Urban Rivers Grant Programs andCALFire: CA ReLeaf),and municipal levels. Other stakeholders include urban greening programs such as: The City Plants Los Angeles, Sacramento Tree Foundation’sSacramento Shade Urban Forest for Clean Air Project,and the Sacramento Municipal Utility District Shade Tree Program.

Location:This position will be located on the UC Davis campus and will be placed in the Department of Plant Sciences with linkage to the Human Ecology Department. This linkage will facilitate collaborations with the programs in Environmental Horticulture, Landscape Architecture and Environmental Design, and Human and Community Development.

Developed and Proposed by:This position proposal was developed by the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences in consultation and collaboration withthe UC Davis Department of Human Ecology Landscape Architecture +Environmental Design, the UCANR Environmental Horticulture Program Team, UC Davis California Center for Urban Horticulture, Foothill Associates, and Wildlands Inc.