The Urban and Community Forestry Hub is rooted in Denver, connecting local partners, serving neighborhoods near the Spur campus, and facilitating learning, engagement, and action across the state via connections to Colorado State Forest Service field offices, other CSU campuses, community members of the Colorado Tree Coalition, and others.
The UCFH aligns with the CSU Strategic Plan, Colorado Forest Action Plan, Project Learning Tree Forest Literacy Framework, and Colorado Front Range Urban Forestry Expansion Strategy. These documents reflect the work of many partners imagining transformative change in social, educational, and ecological systems at multiple scales.
Building on CSU’s land-grant mission and Spur’s commitment to community engagement and collaboration, UCFH is focused on specific and integrated investment in the areas of public engagement and education, workforce development, and applied research.
UCFH is activating Spur outdoor space through the creation of an urban Research Grove, a living laboratory for urban sustainability and climate-resilient natural resource management. At the Research Grove, physiologists will measure urban tree water use to identify species best suited to withstand current and future climate pressures.
UCFH utilizes Spur’s classrooms and meeting spaces for training, engagement, and celebratory activities for students, educators, community members, and professionals.
The Arborist School prepares landscape professionals to attain the International Society of Arboriculture Arborist Certification, a gold standard for professional advancement.
The annual conference Trees in the West brings multiple related disciplines together to discuss current and future issues facing landscape development, arboriculture, and urban natural resources management.
Project Learning Tree provides urban forestry curricula to educators.
The Colorado Forest Service and Project Learning Tree participate in 2nd Saturday at CSU Spur, providing high-quality environmental education experiences and opportunities to engage the public in learning more about Colorado’s trees and forests.
UCFH and Project Learning Tree recognize the role that formal and nonformal educators have in increasing forest literacy and have offered professional development on topics such as environmental justice, bringing partners and educators from across the state together, increasing impact and reach in both rural and urban communities.
Additional resources
KAREN SCHLATTER
Director, Colorado Water Center
Karen Schlatter was appointed director of the Colorado Water Center at Colorado State University in 2025, after joining the Center as associate director in 2023. Schlatter brings academic, nonprofit, and public sector experience in managing complex water challenges with a deep commitment to building partnerships and the ability to engage in conversations across Colorado’s water community. She joined CSU from the University of Florida Water Institute where her work included facilitating multi-stakeholder/academic teams to achieve shared goals around water management through collaborative, interdisciplinary research. Prior to her role at UF, she served as associate director of the Colorado River Delta Program at the Sonoran Institute, where she focused on building cross-sector and international partnerships to support large-scale ecological restoration, effective binational water management, and community engagement in the Colorado River Delta region. Schlatter earned a Bachelor of Science in biology from McGill University and a Master of Science in environmental studies from the University of Colorado Boulder. She served as an agricultural extension volunteer in the Peace Corps in Paraguay.
TOM VILSACK
Chief Executive Officer, World Food Prize Foundation
Effective March 1, 2025, Thomas J. Vilsack, former United States Secretary of Agriculture and Governor of Iowa, will become the first Chief Executive Officer for the World Food Prize Foundation. In this new role, Governor Vilsack will focus on expanding the Foundation’s global network, and will further position the Foundation as a leader in addressing global food and nutrition insecurity, continuing his lifetime of public service.
In 1998, he became the first Democrat to be elected as the Governor of Iowa in more than 30 years. During his two terms as Governor, he created an $800 million, 10-year economic development incentive program—the Iowa Values Fund. His administration worked with schools, medical providers, businesses, faith-based organizations and other entities to expand healthcare coverage to more than 90,000 previously uninsured children.
He became the 30th and 32nd United States Secretary of Agriculture, from 2008-2017 and 2021-2025, respectively. Only five people in U.S. history have served in the Cabinet longer, and during his tenures, the United States Department of Agriculture set records for U.S. agricultural exports and provided food assistance to millions of Americans. He helped expand food and nutrition access through summer feeding programs for children and additional support for fruit and vegetable purchases through the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program. As Secretary, he worked to develop new and superior markets for small and mid-sized farms, allowing those operations to remain viable and in turn, strengthening and growing rural communities.
Governor Vilsack has long been connected to the World Food Prize Foundation, having served on both the Council of Advisors and the Board of Directors. His insights and acumen were vital in shaping our mission and initiatives. His leadership and experience will be instrumental in expanding the Foundation’s international reach and continuing the mission of elevating innovations and inspiring action to sustainably increase the quality, quantity and availability of food for all.
Celebrate the Fourth of July at Spur!
CSU Spur is hosting its first Fourth of July party! Join us at 5:30 p.m. on July 4 for a live DJ, local barbecue, activities for kids, and a view of celebrations across the city from the Terra rooftop.
Tickets are $5.
We’ll see you Saturday!
2nd Saturday at CSU Spur is 10 a.m.-2 p.m. this Saturday (Aug. 8), and this month, the theme is Back to School Bash. Join us to make your own pencil pouch, pick up some school supplies, and participate in hands-on STEM activities and experiences designed to spark curiosity in learners of all ages.