Many world cities have plans to increase tree numbers and canopy cover. However, cities often struggle to articulate the social and ecological benefits of trees. Advances in experimental urban socio-ecological research are needed to understand the combined social and ecological benefits of trees. Experimentally measuring the ecological and social effects of urban tree loss can tell us a great deal about socio-ecological benefits.

This session will be a dynamic exchange and collaborative conversation among researchers from different cities and disciplines about innovative experimental approaches to understand the combined social and ecological benefits of urban trees. The session will be based on an interactive model, including the following activities: 1) short scene-setting talks led by participants, 3-5min/each (up to a maximum of 40min), where participants will share their key learnings and experiences in conducting these studies; and 2) a semi-structured, guided, and vibrant discussion (up to a maximum of 35min) that brings structure to the ideas and establishes a dialogue among the different disciplines and types of studies. We will then synthesize, as a group, the research considerations and procedures that effectively assess the socio-ecological benefits of urban trees. This outcome can then be turned into an output, such as a peer-reviewed publication, that communicates this synthesis of research to the global research community. The participants will be engaged as co-authors. This output will become a blue-print template for the complex and rewarding nature of these types of studies.