Nature: at your service

Urban forests are important for more than just park benches and property values: in fact, they're vital for a community's health, enjoyment, and economic well-being. The 2005 National Conference on Urban Ecosystems will show participants how to reconnect people to their city's natural resources.

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The conference, Nature at Your Service, will be organized by AMERICAN FORESTS and held Nov. 17 and 18 in Charlotte, North Carolina. It will give practical advice for helping cities meet regulatory requirements for clean air and water, revitalizing neighborhoods, and reducing the cost of building and maintaining infrastructure.

The latest chapter in urban thinking for the 21st century recognizes the ecological city and the importance of respecting and using natural systems--forests, soils, water, and air--to support urban areas. Nature at Your Service is designed both for those who want to infuence the shape and direction of their community and for those who must meet environmental quality requirements.

Attendees can expect information on the latest technologies and emerging public policies, as well as take-home tools to help put the trees in their urban forests to best use. For more information about the conference, visit americanforests.org