Portfolio for Matt Patterson
School / Program:
School of Public and Environmental Affairs
Major: Environmental Science/Public Affairs
Research Areas:
Urban ecology and urban forest management; GIS and Remote Sensing; Urban Ecological Planning and Management
Research Description and Research Interests:
Current research work is focused on the potential interactions between the urban forest, social institutions, and collective action at the neighborhood and community level in Bloomington and Indianapolis, IN. The crux of this research addresses questions of institutional values and strength and how they may relate to urban forest structure. Do neighborhoods with strong institutions produce different types of urban forest structure, and how do various socio-economic variables influence this? What is the balance of legacy effects versus current institutions in determining urban forest structure? Is there a correspondence between institutional strength and sustainability of the urban forest within a community?