Associate Professor Theodore Eisenman has spent the past year on sabbatical advancing research on urban greening, which is the main focus of his scholarship. He published a lead-authored article in the Journal of the American Planning Association, outlining recommendations for urban tree planting initiatives.
This article is timely given the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act's $1.5 billion for community forestry. But as noted by Eisenman and his coauthors, if urban tree planting campaigns are not sufficiently resourced and thoughtfully planned and implemented, high-profile programs may fail to achieve their goals. The article advocates for roughly equal distribution of resources across the pre-planting, installation, and post-planting phases of greening campaigns. This is a departure from business-as-usual, as documented in a related study that Eisenman led in 2021.
During his sabbatical, Eisenman also had the opportunity to conduct research at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. As a visiting scholar in the Department of Urban and Rural Development, Eisenman explored the global dimensions of urban greening, worked with local colleagues and students, and led a research project to inventory trees on residential land.
Building on this research, Eisenman collaborated with LARP Professor Robert Ryan and two UMass undergraduate research assistants on a urban tree canopy study in Chicopee, MA during the summer.
As Professor Eisenman returns to full-time teaching and service at LARP, he looks forward to his new role as the Master of Regional Planning Program Director. He will also serve as the LARP Program Director for the Commonwealth Honor’s College.