Our
Mission

In recent decades, our ecosystems have been exposed to an increasing frequency of extreme climatic events (droughts, floods, etc.), exotic invasive species (emerald ash borer, common reed, etc.) and other threats such as urban sprawl. The consequences are often detrimental to the ecosystems themselves (e.g. loss of species and habitats) and to the people around them. We know that there is a strong connection between our proximity to nature and our well-being. The loss of forest cover in urban areas can result in important socio-economic problems, such as an increasing frequency of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, increasing costs in temperature regulation of buildings and in water run-off management. These adverse effects are especially palpable in urban and peri-urban environments where ecosystems are already scarce and under great pressure.
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Professors Dupras, Gonzalez and Messier joined forces and launched Eco2Urb in early 2018, to meet a growing demand for their approach to the analysis and management of the diversity, connectivity and ecosystem services supplied by natural ecosystems and urban green infrastructure. As a result of this association, Eco2Urb's mission is to increase resilience of ecosystems to better deal with global change using natural solutions and innovative approaches. The team places particular emphasis on long-term planning that takes into account risks arising from different scenarios of climate change.

Our
Expertise

The complementarity of the founding researchers fields of expertise, and their experience in accompanying organization from all fields, allows Eco2Urb to offer a unique, up-to-date and scientifically sound approach to develop solutions to render your ecosystems more resilient.  

Tree ecology and functional diversity

The expertise on tree ecology, forest management and functional diversity (where it is not the number of species that matters most but the diversity of their “functional” characteristics) is  provided by Christian Messier and allows Eco2Urb to develop specific diversification strategies for any given area (neighborhood, district, city, region, private woodlot) that focus on including species with complementary traits, tolerant to current and future stresses (drought, diseases, flooding, etc.). 

Connectivity ​and ecological networks

A profound understanding of biodiversity and ecological networks is provided by Andrew Gonzalez.  His research and tools allow Eco2Urb to evaluate the strength of any network of natural sites today and over time. By assessing the habitat quality of each site, their connectivity and the possible effect of climate change on each site’s quality, Eco2Urb offers an innovative approach to establishing conservation priorities and directing funds to where they matter most.

Ecological economy and governance

The renowned proficiency in ecological economy, regional planning and governance of Jérôme Dupras allows Eco2Urb to quantify the services that any given ecosystem offers to society. In addition, Eco2Urb can evaluate the impact of your current and planned management policies and activities on your ecosystems and the services that they provide to human well-being, facilitating your decisions concerning your planning strategies at any given spatial scale.