Urban Resources Initiative
The
Urban Resources Initiative (URI) is an innovative
applied research program that engages the strengths
and resources of higher
education to assist underserved urban communities
in finding practical, community-based
solutions
to urban parks and natural resource management
issues in Baltimore. Take a look at current
URI projects.
URI
Internship Program
URI's internship program works with high school,
college and graduate student interns to initiate
innovative pilot projects and conduct research
to support restoration of Baltimore's urban
parks,
natural resources, and neighborhoods. During
the summer, interns work on projects that include
research and development, education and training,
and community building with local government
agencies including the Baltimore City
Department of Recreation and Parks, non-profits
and community
organizations. These projects help to broaden
their understanding
of
urban natural resource and neighborhood
revitalization issues, and the link between classroom
learning
and career development. URI interns have a
strong record of serving Baltimore,
enhancing urban parks and natural resources and
achieving academic and professional success.
Baltimore
Ecosystem Study
Through URI, Parks & People is a partner
in the Baltimore
Ecosystem Study (BES), a National
Science Foundation funded study of Baltimore as an urban
ecosystem. BES focuses on interactions between
people -
our actions, ideas and institutions - and the
urban
ecosystem in the metropolitan area. BES is one
of 24 sites in the Long-Term Ecological Research
Network, and one of only two urban ecological
research sites. BES research addresses three
central
questions: 1) how Baltimore's ecosystem is changing
over time; 2) how the structure of the natural
and built environments affects ecological processes;
and 3) how Baltimore residents can improve their
daily lives through understanding that the city
itself is an ecosystem.
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