On Thursday morning, January 25, the UB School of Architecture and Planning joins with ReTree Western New York (re-treewny.org) and the Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper (bnriverkeeper.org) to sponsor a free public seminar on issues related to urban forests, especially as pertains to planning a reforestation strategy in the wake of the October storm that damaged or destroyed so many of the region’s trees.

Two guest speakers will lead the discussion, which will take place at the Buffalo Museum of Science, 9:30-11:30am. The first, David Nowak, is a 17-year veteran of the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service, currently based at the Northeastern Research Station in Syracuse. Nowak also lectures the day before, January 24 at 5:30pm, at 301 Crosby Hall on UB’s South Campus. That lecture is free and open to the public.

The second speaker, Martin Jaffe, comes from the University of Illinois at Chicago’s College of Urban Planning and Public Policy. He’ll provide insight into Chicago’s much-lauded approach to urban forest and greenspace planning. (Jaffe will also address the annual meeting of the Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper the same evening.)

Each speaker will give a presentation, after which those in attendance will be invited to join the conversation and ask questions. The purpose, according to organizers, is education—to help people think broadly about the roles urban forest plays in the built environment—so that the public will be prepared to demand and participate in a thoughtful planning process before reforestation efforts get underway.