Our
Mission

In recent decades, our ecosystems have been exposed to an increasing frequency of extreme climatic events (e.g. droughts, floods), exotic invasive species (e.g. emerald ash borer, common reed) and other threats such as urban sprawl. The consequences are often detrimental to the ecosystems themselves (e.g. loss of species and habitats) and the people around. 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-economical problems, such as an increased frequency of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, increased costs in temperature regulation of buildings and in  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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The Eco2Urb team runs state-of-the-art research laboratories in ecology and evolution, forest science and ecological economics. They offer innovative approaches to the development of solutions for landscape planning. They place particular emphasis on long-term planning that takes into account risks arising from different scenarios for climate change and land use change.

Our
Expertise

After many collaborative research projects and a growing demand to assist organizations outside academia in decision-making processes concerning the planning and management of ecosystems  and  natural infrastructure, Professors Dupras, Messier and Gonzalez joined forces and launched Eco2Urb in early 2018.
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The complementary 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 and develop solutions to render your ecosystems more resilient through:  

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 Dr. Christian Messier and allows Eco2Urb to develop specific diversification strategies for any given area (neighborhood, district, city, region) that focus on including species tolerant to current and future stresses (drought, diseases, flooding, etc.). Increasing functional diversity has been shown crucial in guaranteeing the permanence of a certain vegetation cover in many ecosystems.

Connectivity ​and ecological networks

A profound understanding of biodiversity and ecological networks is provided by Dr. 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.