The University of Kentucky Urban Forest Initiative will host a free, public presentation, "Green Heart Louisville: Connecting the Dots Between Nature and Our Health," by Chris Chandler of the Kentucky chapter of The Nature Conservancy. The presentation will be Wednesday, Jan. 23, at E.S. Good Barn on campus across University Drive from Kroger Field.

The long-term research project, Green Heart Louisville, aspires to shed light on how urban tree plantings can enhance human health in the city’s neighborhoods. The study examines the extent to which expanding green space in an urban community can reduce air pollution; reduce mental stress; decrease the risk of developing heart disease, diabetes and obesity; increase outdoor activity; and help to build a sense of community. It also looks at whether crime rates, property values, stormwater runoff and energy use are affected. The project is a collaboration between the University of Louisville, Louisville Metro Government, Washington University in St. Louis, the United States Forest Service, Cornell University and Hyphae Design Laboratories with funding from The Nature Conservancy and the National Institutes of Health.

Director of Urban Conservation in the Kentucky chapter of The Nature Conservancy, Chandler is an environmental project manager and certified arborist.

A social hour, beginning at 6 p.m. with exhibitors and light refreshments, will be followed by the presentation and a Q&A period from 7 to 8 p.m. Parking is free at E.S. Good Barn with overflow parking in the Orange or E lots behind the building. Free passes for overflow will be provided in Good Barn.

Sponsors for the program are the Urban Forest Initiative, the Tracy Farmer Institute for Sustainability and the Environment, UK Student Sustainability Council and the UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment’s Department of Community and Leadership Development. Contributing sponsors include the Lexington Tree Board, Big Beaver Tree Service, Dave Leonard Tree Specialists, Lexington-Fayette Urban-County Government and Kelly Nursery.