About Us
The Urban and Urbanizing Forests Program addresses the issues surrounding expanding urban areas and works to better understand forest ecosystems in and around urban areas and their multiple functions. Our program has a three-pronged approach: research, teaching, and extension:
- Research: understand urban and urbanizing forests and ecosystems and their management.
- Teaching: educate students on the scientific aspects of urban forestry and to develop problem solving skills to address management issues.
- Extension: to develop educational materials, resources, and programs for decision-makers, landowners, land managers, and citizens.
Work on all three elements occurs on the main university campus in Gainesville and at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC)—Plant City Campus. We partner with the Florida Division of Forestry and the USDA Forest Service Southern Center for Urban and Interface Forestry.
Gainesville Campus
| Dr. Francisco Escobedo |
Assistant Professor School of Forest Resources and Conservation University of Florida – IFAS P.O. Box 110806 Gainesville, FL 32611 Phone: (352) 378-2169 Email: fescobed@ufl.edu |
GCREC—Plant City Campus
| Dr. Michael G. Andreu | Melissa H. Friedman |
Assistant Professor UF – School of Forest Resources and Conservation GCREC – Plant City Campus 1200 N. Park Road Plant City, FL 33563 Phone: (813) 757-2274 Email: mandreu@ufl.edu |
Biological Scientist
UF – School of Forest Resources and Conservation GCREC – Plant City Campus 1200 N. Park Road Plant City, FL 33563 Phone: (813) 757-2272 Email: melimel@ufl.edu |


