GSP Research
Here at GSP we’re proud that in addition to the restoration work we do every day, we can contribute to the advancing edge of urban forestry research. Our work is always research driven, and our research helps to inform an ever-evolving strategy to maintain and enhance our forested parklands. Below you can find our recent and ongoing research projects, as well as older published research. Here you’ll find official reports, but you can also find summaries on our blog.
Current Research Projects
Beyond Tree Planting in Urban Forest Climate Adaptation Actions
Seattle case study providing perspective on how to mitigate climate change beyond tree planting.
Climate Change and Urban Nature
Report providing overview information on the impacts of climate change, which can fill knowledge gaps and be used for planning.
Protecting Urban Forested Natural Areas
Inspiration, blueprints, and resources for policies that can be implemented to protect forested natural areas in urban communities.
Cooling Cities: Harnessing Natural Areas to Combat Urban Heat
Resource explaining the cooling benefits of urban natural areas and methods for measuring temperature.
Previous Research Projects
The literature below is a list of published and unpublished research on GSP-related field, community or resource topics.
Barenboim, B., Fischer, P., Churchill, D., Ciecko, L., Yadrick, M. (2018). Seedling Survival Report. Seattle Parks and Recreation, Green Seattle Partnership.
Battey, C.J. and Ross, T. (2014). Impacts of Habitat Restoration and the Status of Avian Communities in Seattle City Parks. A Technical Report by the Seattle Audubon Society.
Bazinet, Oliver (2014). Urban Environmental Stewardship in Practice: using the Green Seattle Partnership to examine relationships between ecosystem health, site conditions, and restoration efforts. Masters Thesis. School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, College of the Environment, University of Washington.
Bidwell, Amanda (2018). Moss and soil monitoring to measure forest health implications in Seattle, Washington. Report for Green Seattle Partnership.
Bidwell, A., Callahan, S., DeLuca, T., Nelson, B., Tobin, P (2019). Quantifying the elemental composition of mosses in western Washington USA.
Buchner, Derek (2016). Examining Restoration Success After Ten Years of the Green Seattle Partnership: Implementation and Results of the First Phase IV Verifications. Masters of Environmental Horticulture Thesis. School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, College of the Environment, University of Washington.
Ciecko, Lisa (2009). Effects of mulch, irrigation, and irrigation gel on the establishment of conifer seedlings at Seattle forest restoration sites. Master Thesis. School of Forest Resources, University of Washington.
Daniels, J.M., Brinkley, W., Paruszkiewicz, M.D. (2016). Urban forest restoration cost modeling: a Seattle natural areas case study. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-921. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 28 p.
Dlugosch, K.M. (2005). Understory community changes associated with English Ivy’s invasions in Seattle’s urban parks. Northwest Science, 79(1), 53-60. Retrieved from https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6sv7f3fc.
EarthCorps (2013). English Holly (Ilex aquifolium) Herbicide Treatment Study. March.
Elman, E., and Salisbury, N. (2009). The State of Seattle’s Conifer Forests. Seattle Urban Nature.
Ettinger, A.K., Lee, B.R., and Montgomery, S. (2017). Seed limitation and lack of downed wood, not invasive species, threaten conifer regeneration in an urban forest. Urban Ecosystems. Pp. 1-11.
Fischer, P., Churchill, D., Barenboim, B., Ciecko, L., and Yadrick, M. (2018). Seattle Parks and Recreation Green Seattle Partnership Forest Stewardship Report.
Hanson, Kirk. (2014). Restoring Native Forest Diversity to Seattle Parks. Northwest Natural Research Group
Hellier, Justin (2012). Ecologists and Organizers: Participatory Research for Shared Understanding in the Green Seattle Partnership. Masters Thesis. School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, College of the Environment, University of Washington.
Jordan, Mark (2016). Seattle Urban Carnivore Study. July 2017 Progress Report to Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation
Kim, S., Chung, U., Lawler, J. J., and Anderson, R. E. (2012). Assessing the Impacts of Climate Change on Urban Forests in the Puget Sound Region: Climate Analysis for Tree Species. Final Report, University of Washington, Seattle, WA.
Kildisheva, Olga K. and Matthew M. Aghai (2018). “Seward Park Sword Fern Decline Strategic Plan.” Green Seattle Partnership, City of Seattle. December 2018.
Loeb, Robert E (2011). Old Growth Urban Forests. Springer New York.
Mojzak, Andrea K.; Ciecko, Lisa A.; Brinkley, Weston R.; and Yadrick, Michael T. Jr. (2020) “Green Seattle Partnership Models Regional Urban Natural Areas Restoration Efforts,” Cities and the Environment (CATE): Vol. 13: Iss. 1, Article 8.
Ramsay, M., Salisbury, N., and Surbey, S. (2004). A Citywide Survey of Habitat on Public Land in Seattle: a tool for urban restoration planning and ecological monitoring. 16th Int’l Conference, Society for Ecological Restoration, August 24-26, 2004, Victoria, Canada.
Salisbury, N. and Elman, E. (2008). The State of Seattle’s Madrone Forests. Seattle Urban Nature.
Sheppard, Jacob Colin (2014). Toward a Framework for Evaluating Civic Environmental Stewardship in the Green-Duwamish Watershed, WA. Masters Thesis. School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, College of the Environment, University of Washington.
Wilkinson, Kelly (2018) Urban Forestry Stewardship and Success: A Case Study of Four Models of Urban Forest Stewardship in King County, Washington. Graduate Certificate in Urban Forestry Program at Oregon State University
Wolf, Kathleen L.; Brinkley, Weston; and Blahna, Dale J. (2021) “Civic Environmental Stewardship: Aligning
Organizational and Participant Motivations,” Cities and the Environment (CATE): Vol. 14: Iss. 2, Article 3.
Yadrick, Michael T. Jr.; Ciecko, Lisa A.; Brinkley, Weston R.; and Mojzak, Andrea K. (2020) “Climate Change Vulnerability and Response in Seattle’s Urban Natural Areas,” Cities and the Environment (CATE): Vol. 13: Iss. 1, Article 10.
Yadrick, Michael T. Jr. (2020) “Climate Ready Urban Forests,” Green Seattle Partnership, City of Seattle.