Topic Introduction

We will start with focusing on the wider context for urban forestry as related to urbanization and societal changes. We’ll see how cities emerged and how urbanisation has come to dominate the world in which we live. Some of the important current trends and developments that impact urban vegetation and its management are also discussed.

By the end of this topic, you should be able to:

• Discuss the wider societal context for urban forestry and city greening.
• Explain which societal and environmental changes and driving forces are affecting cities and their green spaces.
• Provide insight in the world’s ongoing urbanization processes

Readings and Discussion Questions (For certificate learning only)

The two online readings will give you some further perspective on urbanization, as well as the sustainability challenges urban planners and other professionals face. One of the articles focuses on urbanization from an Australian perspective, but you can search the site of ‘The Conversation’ for urbanization and urban challenges examples from other parts of the world.

Based on your understanding the lecture and the readings, as well as any additional reading you have done on this topic, it is time to post a couple of discussion questions on the course discussion board. Were there things that were especially appealing to you? What are some of the key questions we need to ask if we want to develop liveable and sustainable cities.

Lecture Recordings

Please view Cecil Konijnendijk’s lecture on ‘Cities, urbanization, and change’ to get a better understanding of some of the key context for modern-day urban forestry.

Mini-lecture videos

• 1.1 Cities, Urbanization and Change

FODE012_1.1_1_Cities_urbanization_and_change.pptx Download FODE012_1.1_1_Cities_urbanization_and_change.pptx

Post-lecture Mini Quiz (For certificate learning only)

Now it’s time for you to complete an online, multiple choice topic quiz after finishing viewing each lecture for this topic. The main purpose of the quiz is to examine how well you grasp the contents for this topic. The quiz will be open-book, covering contents of the lecture(s) for the topic. You will have 5 mins to complete the quiz.  Two attempts are allowed and higher mark will be saved for your grade.  There will be 13 online topic quizzes throughout the course with 4-5 questions per quiz, each worth 4-5 points that collectively count for 10% towards the final grade.

When you are ready, click the link Mini Quiz 1.1 or go to left menu > Quizzes > Mini Quiz 1.1 to start taking the quiz.

Topic Summary

This first part of Module I has introduced cities to you as the dominant habitat of most of the world’s population. You have also seen how urbanisation continues, and how it contributes to key challenges such as climate change and decreasing public health. In response, cities are developing sustainable development approaches. Urban vegetation plays an important role in keeping cities sustainable, healthy and liveable.

Topic Self-review (For self learning)

To review what you have learned in the topic, you are encouraged to use the following reflection questions as a study guide to do a self-review for the topic:

• How do you feel about the city or town in which you live? Do you experience some of the challenges discussed in this part of the Module, for example related to the dominance of cars and the increase of climate change impacts?
• What opportunities have cities given you? What do you like most about your city or town?
• Can you see how urban vegetation and urban nature play an important role in making our cities better places? What do you see around you, where you live and work?
• Do cities across the globe face the same challenges, or are there clear differences?

Graded Assignment(s) for the Week (For certificate learning only)

Assignment 1

Assignment 1: Urban forest in your hometown will be due on Friday XX at midnight (PST). This assignment asks students to think of the city, town (or even village) where they grew up, and write a short essay to describe the city’s urban forest, based on their own knowledge, or information they can find online or from the library. The main purpose of this assignment is to encourage students to look at their hometown from the urban forestry and city greening perspectives, and to learn to complete a preliminary analysis of ecosystem services by urban forests at the scale of the whole city.

Remember to review the assignment details and requirements under Modules > Graded Assignments > Assignment 1. It’s a good idea to get started on this assignment early on in the Module, so you are prepared to submit the assignment on time.