The recent establishment of a dedicated scientific committee for GreenSpaces marks a pivotal step in advancing urban sustainability and environmental resilience. This scientific committee unites experts to drive innovation in green area management, focusing on optimizing ecosystem services and applying advanced scientific research to enhance R3GIS products.
The committee provides cities with data-driven insights on optimal tree species selection for specific urban contexts, considering climate conditions, soil types, and biodiversity objectives. Through rigorous assessment of ecosystem services—such as air quality enhancement, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity support—the committee empowers municipalities with informed decisions to improve urban green spaces, enhance public health, and contribute effectively to climate change mitigation.
Meet the Members
Dr. Andy Hirons
Senior Lecturer in Arboriculture and Urban Forestry at University Centre Myerscough (UK), having begun his career as a climbing arborist and plant-health technician in the UK, Australia and USA before joining academia in 2004.
Prof. Franco Guzzetti
Associate professor in the field of Geomatics (CEAR-04/A) at Politecnico di Milano (Department of Architecture, Construction Engineering and Built Environment).
Prof. Alessio Fini
Professor of Arboriculture and Urban Forestry at the Università degli Studi di Milano (Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences – Production, Landscape, Bioenergy).
Prof. Dr. habil. Hartmut Balder
Studied horticultural science at the Leibniz Universität Hannover, where he earned his doctorate and habilitation in the field of plant-disease and plant-protection at the Institute for Plant Diseases and Plant Protection.
Dr. Francesco Ferrini
Full Professor of Arboriculture and Tree Cultivation at Università degli Studi di Firenze, and a renowned Italian expert in urban forestry, with over 400 published works on trees, green infrastructure and plant-environment interaction.