About UFI
The Urban Forest Initiative (UFI) is a collaborative group of University of Kentucky and Kentucky community stakeholders whose purpose is to promote and protect the urban tree canopy on the UK campus, in Lexington, and throughout the region. UFI is dedicated to maintaining the current tree canopy while promoting and planning for our future urban forests. We strive to raise awareness of the ecological, social, and economic benefits provided by urban trees.
The UFI Team
Our Network
The UFI working group,
with the support of the Tracy Farmer Institute for Sustainability and the Environment, exists to provide a dynamic framework for opportunities to partner across organizational and community boundaries that will serve to enhance urban forests in our region. Collaborators in this group bring a wide array of skills and expertise from within UK, as well as the surrounding Bluegrass Region. Currently, UFI subcommittees are working on several distinct projects:
- Tree Week
- Seminar Series
- Education and Outreach
- Tree Protection and Canopy Enhancement
- Urban and Community Forestry Undergraduate Certificate
- UK Tree Advisory Committee
The UFI working group meets regularly throughout the year, usually during the spring and fall semester. All meetings are held remotely on Zoom.
Our History
In 2014, a group of UK faculty, staff, and students recognized an increased need for more urban forestry programming on UK’s campus. With less than 17% canopy cover and frequent shifts in the campus landscape, UK’s campus trees have and continue to face the challenges that are characteristic of urban environments, such as construction, soil quality, proper tree care, and potentially harmful pests and diseases. In the face of these challenges, founding members saw tremendous opportunity to enhance the campus tree canopy and its associated benefits.
The Urban Forest Initiative (UFI) has since served to champion the elevated perception, value and function of the urban forest on campus and beyond. These efforts, along with contributions from a strong collaborative body of campus and community partners, have achieved significant and positive impacts on the public’s awareness of and active involvement in the support, care, and expansion of our local tree canopy.
