November 13, 2015
Science and Management of 21st Century Urban Parks
About the Conference
Kroon Hall, 195 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT.
The Hixon Center for Urban Ecology at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies in partnership with the NYC Urban Field Station and 21st Century Parks is convening this conference to explore the future of urban parks given projections of increasing urbanization. Leading researchers, investors and land managers will explore a range of possibilities to meet needs for future populations including how science can guide better design solutions, and the role of private investment in public lands.
Schedule of Events
Coffee & Registration
Welcome
Keynote Address
Panel 1: Parks in Expanding and Contracting Cities
This panel will explore the impact of ‘edges’ on urban parks, including the internal edges of collapsing centers in cities with declining population, as well as cities with increasing population and expanding edges. Panelists will discuss changes in temporal scale (demographic shifts) and changes in spatial scale, and how shifting boundaries will create questions of urban park planning for future needs and opportunities.
Coffee Break
Panel 2: How Wild Can or Should Parks Be?
This panel will explore conventional park designs compared to more natural unmanaged systems. Speakers will examine how to strike a balance across the nature/people spectrum and will consider the divide of park designs – those that emphasize urban open spaces designed for people versus those that emphasize restoration projects. Different stakeholders can have completely different goals, and different professionals approach problems and solutions from different scale perspectives.