In March 2023, Alain and Kaisa from the PaqLab joined an international team of scientists from 4 continents and 19 countries at the Urban Trees Ecophysiology Network (UTEN) inaugural workshop. The workshop sought to better understand the physiological functioning of urban trees and to address the questions of how the urban environment impacts tree functioning and health, and how trees alter the microclimate of cities.

Assessing the health, performance, and survival of trees in urban environments is a multifaceted endeavor that requires understanding their physiological processes in relation to various factors such as biophysics, climate, and social dynamics. The published report summarizes the exchanges of scientists, experts, urban practitioners, and managers at the workshop to tackle these challenges. They identify the promotion of interdisciplinary collaboration, development of new tools and protocols, and discussion of strategies for sharing findings with the public crucial for the field. The overarching aim was to identify predictable patterns for rapidly assessing tree health and understanding their role in shaping urban microclimates, especially in the context of climate change.

Read the full article at the link below