Undergoing Research Activities

We have acquired tree canopy plot data from collaborator Francisco Escobedo, University of Florida, School of Forestry. These data include 280 sites throughout Miami-Dade County where the research team has measured tree canopy, tree litter, and other variables. This data is geo-referenced and distributed throughout the county using a random sampling method, therefore data exists for all land uses and land covers in the study site. We are currently using this data to develop projections of tree canopy in the county, using satellite imagery to help us understand the challenges of “scaling up” from plot data, and examining the legacy effects of neighborhood change on tree canopy in selected neighborhoods.

We’ve established collaborations with the Institute for Regional Conservation (IRC), a non-governmental organization, which led to new sources of data.  IRC has provided the ULTRA-MIA with maps detailing the remnant pine rockland forests within Miami-Dade county. We will be using these maps to understand the vulnerability of these rare habitats to SLR based on elevation and property regime (private ownership, protected status, etc.).

We also established collaborations with representatives of the Miami Dade County Park and Recreation Department. In 2006 The Miami Dade County Park and Recreation Department began the planning of the Parks and Open Space System Master Plan, the goal of which is “to create a seamless, sustainable system of parks, recreation and conservation open spaces for this and future generations” (Miami Dade County 2010). One main focus of this 50-year master plan is to build and maintain transit-oriented parks (TOPs), which will attract residents who may not have access to transportation other than public transit. The goals and vision of the Master Plan are compatible with the goals of the urban land stewardship working group in that it seeks to increase Miami’s urban canopy and provide equitable access to public and green spaces within the Miami metropolitan area.

One of the primary problems involved with managing pine forest fragments in Miami-Dade County is the difficulty of maintaining the ecological role of fire within the urban core. Prioritization of the limited opportunities to implement prescribed fire is a critical first step. Mike Ross, Joe O’Brien, and Gail Hollander attended a two-day workshop in the nearby Florida Keys, where a model-based approach for prioritization was demonstrated and tested on a Keys landscape. The modeling approach, which has been successfully used in the Florida Panhandle, may be transferable to the Miami-Dade situation.