In collaboration with an unprecedented coalition of university centers across the western United States, the Salazar Center is co-hosting a new webinar series! Conservation Conversations will explore the conservation challenges of the future and identify specific policies, programs, and strategies to help secure the long-term health of the nation’s natural resources, wildlife, and landscapes, and broaden the benefits for all Americans.

US cities face a host of interrelated challenges in 2020. A nationwide history of racism in housing and environmental injustice mean communities of color largely live in more polluted, hotter neighborhoods with less tree canopy and green space. Meanwhile, global greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, evermore necessitating not only a reduction of emissions but also a tremendous investment in carbon capture worldwide – including in cities which are often overlooked as a potential site of carbon capture through urban forestry and green space. This webinar summarized the research that indicates that urban environments can and should be prioritized for carbon capture through significant investment in urban forestry, the inequity in existing tree canopies and green space, and the policy solutions that would ensure this investment has clear climate and local benefits, particularly for communities of color. The Salazar Center hosted this sixth installment of the series.