Parks, Trees, and Environmental Justice: Field Notes from Washington, DC

Abstract

Students enrolled in a graduate seminar benefited in multiple ways from an intensive 3-day field trip to Washington, DC. Constructed around the theme of environmental justice, the trip gave students a chance to learn about street tree distribution, park quality, and racial segregation “up close.” Working with personnel from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service, they learned how to design and carry out a street tree survey and assess the condition of park resources. Students were also given the opportunity to collect primary data at 2 local archives. The experience enhanced their understanding of historical environmental processes and allowed them to interact with resource managers in a “real world” setting.

Acknowledgments

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0948947 and DEB-1027188. We wish to thank Kenneth Despertt, of the Martin Luther King Library, and Yvonne Carigan and Lida Churchville, of the Kiplinger Research Library, for their invaluable assistance. We would also like to recognize Jessie Soye for her help in the early stages of this project, as well as the outstanding contributions of the students enrolled in GEOG 688 (Managing Urban Green Spaces): Jessica Bilecki, Michelle Campos, Mia Denardi, Sherry Dibari, Joe Edmonds, Nicole Finnicum, Janene Giuseffi, Matt Hollstein, Kylie Johnson, Michelle Kozlowski, Mary Leciejewski, Matt Miller, Joyce Muthoni, Amanda Osborne, Renee Reber, Victoria Suarez, Siying Sun, and Phillip Wilson.