Ort: KIT, IfGG (Seminar room)
Mittwochs 11:00 bis 15:00
In the "Urban Ecology" practical course, students are introduced to this sub-discipline, focusing on urban trees and forests and their sustainable management. Urban green spaces offer a wide range of ecosystem services but are under threat due to the effects of climate and the expansion and densification of cities worldwide. The students will acquire knowledge of urban environmental conditions and vegetation characteristics and how to evaluate ecosystem services of urban green spaces. They learn how to use suitable measuring instruments and analyses the data. The focus will be given on supporting ecosystem services (e.g. biodiversity and habitat values of city trees), regulating ecosystem services (e.g., temperature regulation during heatwaves, erosion control, air quality improvement), cultural ecosystem services (e.g., improvement of mental and physical health) as well as mitigation ecosystem disservices (e.g., pollen allergy). The students will also meet practitioners, for example, officials from the City Horticulture Department of Karlsruhe and Freiburg (Gartenbauamt) to know practical challenges on the arboricultural and silvicultural management of city trees and plausible solutions.
Auf by Karlsruhe am 26./27.11.2015! 
