The University of Kentucky Urban Forest Initiative (UFI) will host the second annual Canopy Con, the only Bluegrass regional conference dedicated to urban and community forestry. The workshop invites students, faculty, staff, forestry professionals, urban planners and the community who want to learn more about community tree canopies and their benefits.  

The event takes place April 24 at the Fayette County extension office. Feature speakers include internationally renowned scientist, conservationist, master arborist, science communicator and author Margaret D. Lowman and Lionel Bradford, president and executive director of The Greening of Detroit—an initiative that has overseen the planting and maintenance of nearly 150,000 trees.  

The program will also feature a panel on the evolution of Andover Forest, a Lexington neighborhood working to create a community natural area at a now defunct golf course. Presentations will cover wide-ranging topics related to the health, maintenance and future of urban and community trees, showcasing the multifaceted nature of urban forestry.  

"In 2024, we were testing the waters with our first Canopy Con, and this year, we’re sharpening our focus,” said Ignazio Graziosi, UFI coordinator. “We want to highlight how trees can strengthen communities." 

Canopy Con 2025 will also feature hands-on demonstrations, providing participants with a unique opportunity to engage directly with urban and community forestry practices. Demonstrations will focus on the management of urban woodlands, soil quality and tree health, trees as green infrastructure, stormwater management, urban wildlife, urban pollinators and tree health. 

Trees are facing increasingly significant challenges. Increasing in frequency and intensity, unprecedented weather events such as drought, heat waves, flash freezes, flash floods and wind events take a toll on tree canopies.  Non-native insects have had an outsized impact on community tree canopies in Kentucky, as shown by the loss of ash trees due to the emerald ash borer.  

Registration is $40, including talks, demonstrations, parking at the venue, and morning and afternoon snacks and lunch. The first 30 students to register will receive admission for only $10. For registration and program details, visit  https://ufi.ca.uky.edu/canopy-con-2025.  

"Our overall vision as a collaborative is to improve the urban canopy and help citizens understand the many benefits that come from trees, from cleaner air to stronger community ties,” Graziosi said. “Canopy Con 2025 will take that vision a step further, demonstrating real-world examples of what’s possible." 

Canopy Con 2025 is organized in partnership with Lex Grow Trees and the Kentucky Division of Forestry and supported by the Department of Entomology, the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, the Kentucky Chapter of the American Planning Association and Burl Investment Management, LLC.   

This year’s event is at the Fayette County extension office, located at 1140 Harry Sykes Way, Lexington, KY 40504. 

UFI is a collaborative program between UK and other Kentucky stakeholders to protect urban tree canopies on a local and state-wide scale. UFI aims to maintain and promote urban and community forests while developing tree stewards.  

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Writer: Jordan Strickler, jstrickler@uky.edu             

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