Call for Presentations

2024 UCFS Conference

Growing Together: Finding Common Ground and Solutions Together

The Urban & Community Forestry Society (UCFS) seeks presentations for its 58^th Annual International Conference and Trade Show to be held on November 18 and 19, 2024 in Chicago, IL. The UCFS annual conference brings together the frontline, boots-on-the-ground urban and community forestry professionals who are charged with making daily tree stewardship decisions in communities across the world.

This year, we seek proposals that highlight the intersectionality of urban and community forestry. Urban forestry is a unique profession that encompasses many disciplines, skills, sciences, theories, and philosophies. A robust urban forestry program must be inter-departmental and inter-agency, include partnerships, and be all-inclusive. Without the engagement, support, and leverage of other stakeholders and partners, an urban forestry program’s impact will be limited.

We seek stories, case studies, ideas, and practical advice that highlight:

Bringing non-traditional partners and stakeholders to the table
Unique community engagement strategies that resulted in policy change, neighborhood engagement, or new ways of doing things
Successful collaboration with other departments including Engineering, Planning, and Public Works to improve the design of tree friendly streetscapes and neighborhoods.
Partnerships that result in a successful increase in community or municipal resources and capacity
Municipal/non-profit partnerships that expand the capacity of a community to further their urban forestry goals
Other stories that you feel highlight the intersectionality of urban and community forestry by bringing more people to the table

We seek proposals from communities of all sizes and welcome stories that tell both the challenges and the triumphs of your work.

Proposal Details

Proposal Form: Complete the online form below. You can save your form and return to it later.

Learning Objective: All submissions must include three learning objectives that convey the presenter’s intent of what the attendees should learn from the presentation. When writing learning objectives, use active verbs such as implement, evaluate, prepare, solve, identify, demonstrate, discuss. Avoid verbs such as know, understand, or learn.

Session Format: Although PowerPoint presentations are common, other presentation formats are encouraged. Indicate the format of your presentation and any equipment needs.

Session Length: Presentation length can be short form of 7-15 minutes, standard form of 30 to 45 minutes, or panels with up to an hour for panel sessions. Length of sessions may need to be adapted to fit the overall program.

In 2024, we are exploring the opportunity for long-form workshops that can be up to 4 hours in length. A longer workshop would be held the morning of Monday, November 18, 2024. If you have an idea for a long-form workshop that would fit the theme and spirit of the conference, we encourage you to submit a proposal.

Proposals are due no later than 5:00 pm CDT on May 15, 2024. Presenters accepted for the program will be notified by June 5^th. The conference program will be finalized by late-June.