Dr. Asia L. Dowtin is an Associate Professor of Urban Forestry in the Michigan State University Department of Forestry. Her work explores the relationships that exist between urban forest structure, spatial context, and water and nutrient cycling in metropolitan areas. Through this work, she aims to broaden our understanding of the influence that species composition, related physical tree traits, and surrounding land use have on urban forest function and ecosystem service provision. A major goal of Dowtin’s work is to utilize this knowledge to inform the development of urban forest management plans, specifically aspects of these plans that are intended to optimize the yield of ecosystem services provided by urban trees. Her work at Michigan State University includes research, teaching, and extension related to urban and community forestry, with her extension efforts largely focused on creating educational and workforce development programming for K-12 students and adult learners. She holds a B.S. in Meteorology from the State University of New York College at Oneonta, and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Physical Geography from the University of Delaware.

TSN Conference 2026

• January 22nd, 2026 (Thursday) // 10:15 am – 11:15 am // Room 104 // Participatory Methods: Pathways for Restoring Canopy Cover and Quality of Life in a Detroit Neighborhood // In urban forestry, community-led participatory strategies can be used to help restore diverse, resilient tree cover and quality of life in areas where blight and related decline have occurred. This presentation will explore the impacts that different participatory techniques have had in restoring tree cover and quality of life in a once-declining Detroit neighborhood, with this work led by a local non-profit and advanced through collaboration with academic and federal partners. Participatory methods from 2024-25 resulted in the establishment of a nursery for sustained local sourcing of plant material, workforce development for 100 area youth, and planting of approximately 75 trees on vacant lots. Preliminary impacts include decreased crime, positive learning outcomes for community youth, and increased local engagement with spatially expansive green spaces. We will share lessons learned about fostering community stewardship of urban forests through collaborative participatory efforts.

• January 22nd, 2026 (Thursday) // 11:35 am – 12:35 pm // Red Cedar Room // Student Pathways Session // The landscape of careers in stewardship and sustainability is diverse and rapidly changing. How can you identify and form your career path? What professional development do you need to grow or transition among the options, from academia to business to government and non-governmental organizations? This session provides a supportive environment to share questions and learn best practices from each other and from professionals with different experiences.