The first National Urban and Community Forestry Education and Outreach Conference for Minority and Underserved Communities will consider and evaluate all abstracts received for possible inclusion in plenary, poster or parallel sessions. Potential  themes and topics are listed below.

Submission of Abstracts

    Interested contributors should submit a one-page, single-spaced summary of the paper they propose for presentation. It should be in English in 11-point Times font in MS Word. Please include the following information with the abstract: full name and title; e-mail, fax, telephone and complete postal contact information; category for which you are submitting an abstract; and three to five keywords relevant to the submission.

    The deadline for submission of an abstract is May 19, 2003. Notification of paper acceptance and an author's kit will be mailed by May 30, 2003. Final papers will be due by June 15, 2003. Please submit abstracts through the Submit Abstract link. If unable to submit abstract at this link, please fax a typed version to 225-771-3286.

 
Themes 1. Urban and community forests - Improve the quality of life for all citizens where they live and work 

 

  
         Topics of presentation/discussion:  
         ● Use trees and vegetation to enhance community pride and identity
         ● Create a better understanding of the biological, psychological and cultural connections to the ecological systems that sustain our lives.
         ● Social, economic, environmental and aesthetic value of trees and community forests
         ● Foster self-sustaining municipal forestry programs and volunteer-based organizations
         ● Development of multicultural professional training and educational programs related to urban forestry
         ● Urban forestry funding from traditional and nontraditional sources
         ● Partnerships that include the private sector in relation to job creation and contribution to healthier economies

 
Themes 2. Urban and community forestry for and with minority and underserved populations-key element for facilitating change

 
         Topics of presentation/discussion:
         ● Involving minority and underserved audiences in the development and delivery of urban forestry messages
         ● Improving public and private services in minority and underserved communities for the purpose of improving economic, social, and environmental health
         ● Assessing the value of trees and forests to multicultural populations
         ● Improving the ratio of minority and underserved population in the urban and community forestry workforce

 
Themes 3. Foster self-sustaining municipal forestry programs and volunteer-based organizations

 
         Topics of presentation/discussion:
         National, regional, and local urban and community forestry (UCF) organizations- working together with minority and underserved communities to facilitate change. Organizations including, but not limited to
American Forests

National Alliance for Community Trees,

Communities Committee for 7th American Forest Congress

International Society of Arboriculture

Society of American Foresters

Minority in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS)

Baton Rouge Green

Louisiana Urban Forestry Council

 
Themes 4. Improving public services in minority and underserved communities for purpose for improving economic, social and environmental health

 
         Topics of presentation/discussion:
         Federal agencies - working together with minority and underserved communities to facilitate change, agencies including but not limited to
NUCFAC

USDA Forest Service (FS) Civil Right Unit

USDA FS region 6,

USDA FS region 8,

USDA FS Center for Urban Forestry Research

USGS National Wetlands Research Center

USDOI National Park Service

USDOI-BLM

USDOI Fish and Wildlife service

USEPA Urban Heat Island Consortium

USDA NRCS National Plant Data Center

 
Themes 5. Improving the ratio of minority and underserved population in the urban and community forestry workforce

 
         Activities:
         ●Private industries (such as Davey Tree, Asplund, ACRT, etc) and carrer opportunities
         ●Career opportunities by Federal, state, local, entities, etc
         ●Career fair
         ●On-site job interview
         ●Exhibits

 
Themes 6. Creating a strong network of minority community leaders, non-profit urban and community forestry organizations, federal, state and private industry to better target the needs of the minority communities-network building and community involvement

Themes 7. Other related topics and issues: Topics include but not limited to Urban environment, urban ecosystem, urban –wildland interface, global change, water quality and air quality, GIS application in urban area, etc.