Review our work products
We provide easy access to thousands of SFEI’s reports, journal articles, books, conference papers/proceedings, factsheets, hearing summaries, maps, and more.
These printable and downloadable materials connect our science to action, cover a broad range of topics, and have many applications. This library is searchable and filterable. If you have difficulty finding the information you are looking for, please contact us at [email protected].
Programs & Topics
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Author(s): Jennifer Dougherty | Kayli Paterson | Melissa Gonzalez | Edward Kolodziej | Diana Lin | Alicia Gilbreath | Elisabeth Rødland | Win Cowger | Hazel Vaquero | Andrea Amend | Rebecca Sutton
2026
The performance capabilities of bioretention systems for a range of stormwater constituents remain lightly characterized, particularly for emerging organic contaminants. To address this gap, we evaluated concentration- and load-based treatment outcomes at four urban…
Regional Framework for the Next Generation of Urban Greening
Author(s): Lauren Stoneburner | Melissa Foley | Cate Jaffe | Kendall Harris
2025
The Regional Framework for the Next Generation of Urban Greening (“the Framework”) provides a roadmap for this alignment, offering nine essential steps to help practitioners navigate the complex, cross-cutting challenges of urban greening. Each step is supported by practical…
Author(s): Kelly Iknayan | Sacha Heath | Scott Terrill | Daniel Wenny | Stephanie Panlasigui | Yiwei Wang | Erin Beller | Erica Spotswood
2024
Urbanization is a leading cause of global biodiversity loss, yet cities can provide resources required by many species throughout the year. In recognition of this, cities around the world are adopting strategies to increase biodiversity. These efforts would benefit from a…
Author(s): Bronwen Stanford | Kelly Iknayan | Robin Grossinger | Erin Beller | Matthew Benjamin | Letitia Grenier | Micaela Bazo | Nicole Heller | Myla Aronson | Peter Groffman | Erica Spotswood
2023
Conserving urban biodiversity will rely on updating our planning paradigms. This work synthesizes urban ecological research and identifies seven elements—patch size, connections, matrix quality, habitat diversity, native vegetation, special resources, and stewardship and…
Ecology for Health: Design Guidance for Fostering Human Health and Biodiversity in Cities
Author(s): Joe Burg | Jennifer Symonds | Vanessa Lee | Bronwen Stanford | Brandon Herman | Stephanie Panlasigui | Karen Verpeet
2023
Greenspaces provide crucial nature contact for urban residents. When we have greater access and exposure to nature in the places where we live, work, learn, and play, we tend to experience better human health outcomes. Urban parks, trees, and vegetation encourage physical…
Author(s): Megan Wheeler | Lauren Stoneburner | Erica Spotswood | Robin Grossinger | Darya Barar | Carol Randisi
2022
- East Palo Alto Urban Forest Master Plan High Res
- East Palo Alto Urban Forest Master Plan Low Res
- East Palo Alto Urban Forest Master Plan Summary and Vision (Spanish)
- Appendix I. Urban Forest Assessment Methodology
- Appendix II. East Palo Alto Tree Ordinance Text
- Appendix III. Community Survey Detailed Results
- Appendix IV. Species Selection Guidance
Author(s): Erica Spotswood | Erin Beller | Robin Grossinger | Letitia Grenier | Nicole Heller | Myla Aronson
2021
Cities are both embedded within and ecologically linked to their surrounding landscapes. Although urbanization poses a substantial threat to biodiversity, cities also support many species, some of which have larger populations, faster growth rates, and higher productivity in…
Author(s): Stephanie Panlasigui | Erica Spotswood | Erin Beller | Robin Grossinger
2021
In response to the widely recognized negative impacts of urbanization on biodiversity, many cities are reimagining urban design to provide better biodiversity support. Some cities have developed urban biodiversity plans, primarily focused on improving biodiversity support and…
Nature inequity and higher COVID-19 case rates in less green neighbourhoods in the United States
Author(s): Erica Spotswood | Matthew Benjamin | Lauren Stoneburner | Megan Wheeler
2021
Urban nature—such as greenness and parks—can alleviate distress and provide space for safe recreation during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, nature is often less available in low-income populations and communities of colour—the same communities hardest hit by COVID-19. In…
Author(s): Tan Zi | Alison Whipple | Pete Kauhanen | Erica Spotswood | Letitia Grenier | Robin Grossinger | Ruth Askevold
2021
Effective implementation of urban greening strategies is needed to address legacies of landscape change and environmental degradation, ongoing development pressures, and the urgency of the climate crisis. With limited space and resources, these challenges will not be met…
Author(s): Kelly Iknayan | Megan Wheeler | Samuel Safran | Jonathan Young | Erica Spotswood
2021
- Preserving and restoring wildlife in urban areas benefits both urban ecosystems and the well-being of urban residents. While urban wildlife conservation is a rapidly developing field, the majority of conservation research has been performed in wildland areas.…
Author(s): Robin Grossinger | Megan Wheeler | Erica Spotswood | Erik Ndayishimiye | Giulia Carbone | R Galt
2020
SFEI collaborated with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to create a guide to incorporating nature into urban sports, from the development of Olympic cities to the design and management of the many…
Wildlife Habitat and Water Quality Enhancement Opportunities at Castlewood Country Club
Author(s): Stephanie Panlasigui | Sarah Pearce | Ryan Hegstad | Matthew Quinn | Alison Whipple
2020
Meeting human and ecological needs within San Francisco Bay’s watersheds is increasingly challenged by flooding, water quality degradation, and habitat loss, exacerbated by intensified urbanization and climate change. Addressing these challenges requires implementing multi…
Author(s): Erica Spotswood | Robin Grossinger | Steve Hagerty | Micaela Bazo | Matthew Benjamin | Erin Beller | Letitia Grenier | Ruth Askevold
2019
Cities will face many challenges over the coming decades, from adapting to a changing climate to accommodating rapid population growth. A related suite of challenges threatens global biodiversity, resulting in many species facing extinction. While urban planners and…
Author(s): Steve Hagerty | Erica Spotswood | Katie McKnight | Robin Grossinger
2019
This document provides some of the scientific foundation needed to guide planning for urban biodiversity in the Santa Clara Valley region, grounded in an understanding of landscape history, urban ecology and local setting. It can be used to envision the ecological potential…
Re-Oaking Silicon Valley: Building Vibrant Cities with Nature
Author(s): Erica Spotswood | Robin Grossinger | Steve Hagerty | Erin Beller | Letitia Grenier | Ruth Askevold
2017
In this report, we investigate how re-integrating components of oak woodlands into developed landscapes — “re-oaking” — can provide an array of valuable functions for both wildlife and people. Re-oaking can increase the biodiversity and ecological resilience of urban…