It is important that medium-sized places have the resources to improve the ecological quality of their growth: Interview with Dr. Steward T. A. Pickett

Abstract

Dr. Steward T.A. Pickett is one of the pioneers of modern American urban ecology. He is a Distinguished Senior Scientist at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, in Millbrook, New York. His research focuses on the ecological structure of urban areas and the changes in vegetation through time after disturbance. He believes that ecological knowledge about cities is crucial for both improving the environment and residents’ wellbeing. He has written books on spatial patterns and their changes in ecology, humans as a part of ecosystems, conservation, how to connect ecology with urban design, and linking ecology with ethics. He has served as President of the Ecological Society of America and is on the boards of the American Institute of Biological Sciences and the City as Living Laboratory.

Keywords

• urban ecology
• urban disturbances
• urban and wellbeing