Building Our Best Cities: Envisioning a Connected Urban Forest

The 2016 Mayors’ Symposium & Tree City USA Celebration

The Trees Atlanta Kendeda Center

225 Chester Ave SE, Atlanta, Georgia
10:00 a.m. WELCOME from Robert Farris, Director, Georgia Forestry Commission

Greg Levine, Co-Director, Trees Atlanta

Dan Bauer, President, Georgia Urban Forest Council
Connecting Pittsburgh with Trees by Danielle Crumrine, Executive Director, Tree Pittsburgh and Andrea Lavin Kossis, LEED GA, Riverfront Development Coordinator, City of Pittsburgh
11:00 a.m. PANEL DISCUSSION: Planning and Designing Our Cities with Trees

Moderator: Ryan Gravel, AICP, LEED AP, urban planner, designer, and author

Panelists:

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  Mayor Patty Garrett, Decatur, GA (Invited)
  
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  Danielle Crumrine, Executive Director, Tree Pittsburgh
  
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  Andrea Lavin Kossis, LEED GA, Riverfront Development Coordinator
  

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  Walter Brown, Green Street Properties (Invited)
  
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  Tim Keane, Commissioner of the Department of Planning and Community Development, City of Atlanta
  

12 Noon LUNCHEON & STATE ARBOR DAY CEREMONY

Robert Farris, Director, Georgia Forestry Commission

Dan Lambe, President, Arbor Day Foundation

Governor Nathan Deal (Invited)

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  State Arbor Day proclamation
  
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  Recognition of new and renewing Tree City USA communities, Tree Line USA utility companies, and Tree Campus USA colleges
  

1:00 – 2:00 p.m. PRESENTATION: CREATING A LONG-TERM VISION FOR CITY GROWTH AND TREE CANOPY PRESERVATION

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  What have other cities done to overcome the costs and challenges of making space for trees?
  
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  What are the new ideas for more innovative urban forestry practices in our growing cities?
  
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  How can master planning for communities help cities protect the urban forest?
  
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  How can we improve how we communicate our message with citizens, city leaders/officials and the development community?
  
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  What does it take to grow an urban forest in your city?
  
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  How can we connect these valuable greenspaces across the region?