Time:

00:04:56

Urban social-ecological systems

What is urban ecology?

Timon McPhearson from the New School New York explains

Timon McPhearson is Assistant Professor of Urban Ecology at The New School´s Tishman Environment and Design Center in New York City where he teaches urban ecology, systems thinking, and resilience.

He studies the socio-ecology of urbanized regions in order to improve urban sustainability policy and planning while also working with natural resource managers to ensure resilient urban biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Prior to joining The New School, Professor McPhearson spent three years as a postdoctoral Science Fellow at Columbia University's Earth Institute. He has also worked with the American Museum of Natural History's Center for Biodiversity and Conservation, is a former U.S. National Science Foundation Fellow, and continues to work with local policymakers, planners, and designers on urban sustainability research and education.

He currently leads the New York team for the Urban Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Project (URBES), coordinates an urban ecosystem services valuation study in collaboration with Stockholm Resilience Center and the Natural Capital Project, is a contributor to the Cities Biodiversity Outlook, and Steering Committee member of the ICLEI-CBD Urban Biosphere Initiative (URBIS).