Urban Forests and Climate Change

Urban Forests and Climate Change explores the ways in which urban forestry can improve climate change resilience while providing myriad benefits to both ecological and social communities. Learners will gain a comprehensive understanding of the roles urban forest management and sustainable wood construction play in climate change mitigation, highlighting key obstacles and opportunities specific to urban and municipal-level forestry. The course identifies unique themes and addresses the ways in which urban forests can be impacted by climate change as well as how management can be used as a tool to reduce social inequities, improve human health and well-being, and reduce environmental and community vulnerability to climate-induced stressors.

This course includes the following learning topics:

Introduction to Urban Forests, Carbon, and Climate Change: Overview of urban forest definitions, characteristics, carbon dynamics, and key challenges
Physical Challenges and Solutions in Urban Forests: Climate change impacts and adaptive management solutions to address key challenges related to environmental health of urban forest systems
Social Challenges and Solutions in Urban Forests: Anthropogenic impacts and adaptive management solutions to address key challenges related to community health, equity, and access to urban forest systems
Urban Forest Planning, Financing, and Implementation: Common tools and activities that account for climate mitigation and enhanced social equity in urban forest planning and implementation processes, with a review of various case study examples
Urban Wood Utilization: Overview of wood dynamics and uses in the urban environment including waste and emissions, wood use supply chains, and mass timber construction

This course is offered by the Michigan State University Department of Forestry Forest Carbon and Climate Program (FCCP). Course content was co-developed with MSU faculty and partners at the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science (NIACS). Course development was made possible through support from the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), American Forests, and NIACS.

Recommended Prerequisite:

Some knowledge of forestry and/or forest carbon science will be helpful for this learning experience. While it is possible to take this intensive course separately, we recommend it as a supplement to one of the following programs:

Registration and Enrollment

The current course is offered multiple times throughout the year. Registration for this course period will be available on the MSU Department of Forestry Official storefront (coming soon).

The course will be offered throughout the year according to this schedule:

January 9 - April 9
May 9 - August 9
September 9 - December 9

Note: There is a 20% discount available to eligible participants. View this PDF for eligibility guidelines. To receive the discount, ensure that the criteria are met and the appropriate proof can be submitted. While purchasing the course on the MSU storefront, enter the code FCCP20 on the page after payment information is collected. Once payment is submitted, we will send a survey to submit proof of eligibility. Those unable to provide the required form of proof will have their payment refunded and will need to purchase the course full price.

You will receive communication from an online education specialist within 1-3 business days of your course purchase. This message will include instructions to create your course login and password. To learn more about the on-boarding process and for a preview of what to expect upon registering for one of our professional development courses watch this video or review this PDF.

Students must complete the course within their selected course period in order to receive a formal Certificate of Completion from MSU Department of Forestry. Students are eligible for a full course refund if requested within 14 days barring that a significant amount of the course has not been accessed.

Project Page Course Graphics

This course is offered by the Michigan State University, Department of Forestry, Forest Carbon and Climate Program (FCCP). Course content was co-developed with MSU faculty as well as the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science (NIACS), a collaborative, multi-institutional partnership led by the USDA Forest Service. Course development was made possible through funding from the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), American Forests, and the USDA Forest Service Eastern Region State, Private, and Tribal Forestry.