Emma Bacon (MSc student at the PaqLab and Ziter lab) has contributed to two publications which have recently been released!

The first study examines the representation and engagement of Indigenous Peoples in urban forest management plans (UFMPs) across Canada and the U.S. After uncovering that Indigenous perspectives are largely underrepresented, with only a small fraction of UFMPs acknowledging Indigenous history, engagement, or reconciliation, the study highlights the need for greater inclusion of Indigenous voices in urban forestry to promote recognitional justice, co-governance, and sustainable urban planning. 

The second study provides the first national assessment of street tree structural diversity in Canada's urban forests. It finds that smaller trees dominate city streets, with no municipality meeting recommended size class distributions. The results emphasize the importance of protecting large, mature trees to maintain ecosystem services and urban forest resilience.

Congratulations Emma on all your hard efforts coming to fruition!

Laura Schillé, current postdoc in the PaqLab, just had one of her PhD articles published in PlosOne! Along with her team in Bordeaux France, the study aimed to assess the reliability of plasticine caterpillar models in measuring avian predation by comparing them to real caterpillar corpses and using camera traps. Findings suggest that plasticine models may underestimate bird foraging activity, but remain the most practical and ethical method despite some biases. Continued refinement of monitoring techniques is needed to improve accuracy in predator-prey research.

Read the full article at the link below.

Congratulations Laura!