Sadee Kidd, “Evaluating Conditions for Locating Urban Ecology Centers in New Communities”
Mentor: Chris Young, History
Poster #71

Milwaukee’s Urban Ecology Center (UEC) is a non-profit organization that is founded on urban environmental education, community engagement, neighborhood renewal, and land restoration. Every year tens of thousands of visitors come to the UEC and adjacent green spaces to connect with nature. Milwaukee’s ability to cultivate such an immersive experience has caught the attention of cities across the country. The UEC has responded to inquiries from passionate people in communities who have seen the urban ecology model in action. To understand better the potential for the success of the model in other cities, this research focuses on identifying demographic commonalities that may foster programming through the development of Urban Ecology Centers. The goal is to create a communal environment that is available to the greatest population of people, which can be achieved by pinpointing a best-fit location. Through the consideration of varying conditions including, city population, school density, and key geographic features, determining what conditions offer a best-fit location will be formulated. It is also important to note similar environmental organizations to be considered as potential partners. Data is gathered through publicly available records and organized into a database allowing for comparative analysis to define and recognize trends in cities. The ultimate hope of the research is to establish a guide to creating deeper relationships for initiating urban ecology programming in any city.