TNOC Festival 2024: Full Schedule

SET YOUR TIME ZONE TO BERLIN (CET) TO SEE THE CORRECT TIMES!!

Welcome to the Nature of Cities Festival 2024! A gathering to get inspired, to learn, to present, collaborate, or to meet hundreds of new best friends and urban nature co-conspirators. The Berlin segment is an all-inclusive multi-day experience featuring field-trips, in person talks, workshops, art interventions, a film festival, Farm-to-Table dinners, various opportunities for socializing, and much more. All of it takes place at the Atelier Gardens venue, and various other locations around Berlin.

If you are not registered yet, you can register using a credit card or coupon code below. To use a different payment method (ApplePay, GiroPay, etc...) visit the TNOC FESTIVAL WEBSITE for other options.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

After registering, scroll down to see sessions.
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VENUE ADDRESS:
Oberlandstraße 26-35, 12099 Berlin

17:00 EDT

Reclaiming Equity: Unveiling Hidden Injustices in Nature-Based Solutions

The workshop focuses on the absence of social justice in nature-based solutions. Using the framework of critical environmental justice, it will emphasize a discussion on race and colonialism, which are concealed by terms like “nature-based solutions”. Through activities, participants will grasp the concept of interconnectedness, understand nature’s non-neutrality, and realise that global decisions and actions impact us locally.

Virtual Speakers

Ambika Tenneti

Ph.D. Candidate, University of Toronto

Environmentalist | Interests: Urban Ecology, Immigrant and community engagement, Environmental and social justiceI am an environmental scientist by training with over 20 years of experience working with diverse communities in India and Canada. The interdisciplinary nature of my training... Read More →

Jacqueline L Scott

PhD Candidate, Writer, Hike Leader, Black Outdoors

Jacqueline L. Scott is a PhD candidate at the University of Toronto, OISE, in the department of Social Justice Education. She is a fellow at the Safina Center.She volunteers as a land steward, and as a hike and bike leader with outdoor clubs. Jacqueline leads Black History Walks in... Read More →

Wednesday April 17, 2024 17:00 - 18:30 EDT
Virtual

Seed session

City Toronto
Country Canada
Language English
Affiliation University of Toronto
Room Number 10

17:00 EDT

Washington DC: Capital of Nature

What does it mean to live in the nation's capital? We envision a city where nature is at the center of our social identity, and healthy nature is central to our daily experience. From vision to action, we'll explore how we are making this happen as cultural workers, ecologists, and activists in Washington DC--where what is happening down the river is as important as what happens On the Hill.

Virtual Speakers

Stella Tarnay

Executive Director, Capital Nature

Wednesday April 17, 2024 17:00 - 18:30 EDT
Virtual

Seed session

City Toronto, Washington DC
Country Canada, United States
Language English
Affiliation University of Toronto, Capital Nature
Room Number 4

17:00 EDT

What does a more-than-human city “look” like?

Authors from the book, ‘Urban Natures: Living the More-than-Human City’ will discuss the need to shift to a more-than-human perspective; the power of imagining new relationships and cityscapes; and the importance of introducing cross-disciplinary, -sectoral, and -cultural perspectives to envision this change. Contributors will aim to produce an ‘urban manifesto’ towards realizing what a more-than-human city could look like.

Virtual Speakers

Lucia Alexandra Popartan

Dr. Lucia Alexandra Popartan has a background in Political Science and a PhD in Water Science and Technology. She is currently a postdoctoral researcher at LEQUIA (University of Girona) one of the top research groups on environmental science and technology in Spain. Her research interests... Read More →

Nick Dunn

Executive Director, Imagination

Nick Dunn is Professor of Urban Design and Executive Director of Imagination, the design and architecture research lab at Lancaster University. Nick's work examines the ways we think, envision and analyse the futures of people, places, and planet. His research has been funded by numerous... Read More →

Ferne Edwards

Research Fellow, Centre for Food Policy, City University London

I am a cultural anthropologist with extensive international research and teaching experience on just and sustainable cities, food systems and social change. My work explores the socio-cultural contexts, ethics, politics and sustainability potential of diverse social food economies... Read More →

Tracey Benson

Jolein Bergers

Mathilda Rosengren

Dominique Chen

Lisa de Kleyn

Research Fellow, Climate Change Adaptation Lab, La Trobe University

Wednesday April 17, 2024 17:00 - 18:30 EDT
Virtual

Seed session

City Toronto, Guildford
Country Canada, United Kingdom
Language English
Affiliation University of Toronto, University of Surrey
Room Number 17

17:00 EDT

Africatown Connections Blueway: Healing Begins by Reclaiming our Heritage & Happiness

Community members in Africatown, Alabama have established community rituals and traditions that are practiced, fortifying the connections between elders and youth of the community. Session participants will learn the steps of community engagement traditions and actively participate in practicing these traditions.

Of primary importance is to recognize and preserve the international historical significance of Africatown in hopes of contributing to racial healing and reckoning as well as celebrating the contribution of this community to our global family.

Virtual Speakers

Liz Smith-Incer

Rivers, Trails & Conservation Assistance Program, National Park Service

Anderson Flen

President, Mobile County Training School Alumni Association

Anderson Flen has prided himself as a bridge builder in his personal and professional life. He was born in Magazine Point Alabama (Africatown) and is a 1968 graduate of Mobile County Training School (MCTS). He served in leadership roles in high school: President of the Student Government... Read More →

Wednesday April 17, 2024 17:00 - 18:30 EDT
Virtual

Skills session

City Toronto, Biloxi
Country Canada, USA
Language English
Affiliation University of Toronto, U.S. National Park Service - Rivers, USDA Forest Service
Room Number 9

17:00 EDT

Conservation Photography for Scientist & Artist

An interactive presentation giving examples of how to use photography as a tool for conservation and as a link between scientist, artist, stakeholders, and communities. Presentation will be based on 40 years of experience and examples for several countries in Latin America and Caribbean.

Virtual Speakers

Jerry Bauer

Supervisory Biological Scientist, US Forest Service, International Institute Tropical Forestry

Jerry Bauer posee 40 años de experiencia trabajando en la región de América Latina y el Caribe en la conservación de medio ambiente y los recursos naturales. Ha trabajado extensamente con los programas de desarrollo sostenible, desarrollo rural, recursos naturales y áreas protegidas... Read More →

Adelayde Rivas

Sponsors and Partners

USDA

Wednesday April 17, 2024 17:00 - 18:30 EDT
Virtual

Skills session

City Toronto, LUQUILLO
Country Canada, United States
Language English
Affiliation University of Toronto, USDA Forest Service
Room Number 7

17:00 EDT

Diálogos entre a naturologia e as abordagens baseadas na natureza para a promoção de saúde e bem-estar

A naturologia é uma formação na área da saúde que utiliza práticas integrativas, medicinas tradicionais e vitalistas. Fundamenta-se na integralidade do ser humano no processo de saúde-adoecimento com a visão multidimensional. Neste contexto, apresentaremos os pontos de conexão entre a naturologia e as abordagens baseadas na natureza para dialogar como a promoção de saúde está ligada com práticas de conexão com a natureza.

Virtual Speakers

Igor de Azevedo Silva

Wednesday April 17, 2024 17:00 - 18:30 EDT
Virtual

Skills session

City Toronto, São Paulo
Country Canada, Brasil
Language English, Portuguese
Affiliation University of Toronto, Independente
Room Number 14

11:00 EDT

Make it Round: Tools for a Circular Design Practice

A workshop focused on how to create a more circular/sustainable practice. I will work with the group to consider ways to source, produce and mindfully waste or reintegrate materials and design tools into art, planning, and other forms of production.

Virtual Speakers

Olivia a Carye Hallstein

Founder/Designer, Edible Nest Studio

An artist, chef, educator, urban gardener, activist, and writer, Olivia Ann Carye Hallstein founded the Edible Nest Studio in Cambridge, Ma, USA. The studio specializes in sustainable artistic and culinary practices with a focus on whole systems circular design that minimizes waste... Read More →

Thursday April 18, 2024 11:00 - 12:30 EDT
Virtual

Seed session

City Toronto, Cambridge
Country Canada, United States
Language English
Affiliation University of Toronto, Edible Nest Studio
Room Number 16

11:00 EDT

Sharing Experiences about Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) in Small and Medium Islands

Nature-based solutions (NBS) are actions that use nature to address societal challenges in a sustainable way while providing multiple co-benefits. Small-medium islands (SMI) are home to a significant portion of the world's biodiversity and are often at the forefront of the impacts of climate change, and while several challenges and gaps still exist, NBS can play a critical role in helping SMI to adapt and thrive in a changing world. As part of the EU COST Action SMILES, we aim to share experiences of NBS uptake in SMI and across an urban-rural-semi-/natural gradient to develop new learnings.

Virtual Speakers

Mario Balzan

Director, Ecostack Innovations

I am an applied ecologist and my research focuses on pollination, ecosystem services assessment and mapping, and the responses of society to biodiversity and ecosystem services decline, including through green infrastructure, nature-based solutions and sustainable development policies... Read More →

Mart Külvik

Shiri Zemah Shamir

Mark Mansoldo

Thursday April 18, 2024 11:00 - 12:30 EDT
Virtual

Seed session

City Toronto, Paola
Country Canada, Malta
Language English
Affiliation University of Toronto, Ecostack Innovations
Room Number 8

11:00 EDT

Ciudad Botánica

Ciudad Botánica seeks to vindicate the ruderal plants that grow spontaneously in the city, finding vital spaces in places such as sidewalks, walls, slits, and cracks on the pavement. With this project we aim to focus on these discreet protagonists of urban biodiversity, telling their stories and highlighting their ecological importance and potential applications

Virtual Speakers

Samuel Serna-Wills

Fundación Cerros de Bogotá

Alejandra Castiblanco-Valbuena

Thursday April 18, 2024 11:00 - 12:30 EDT
Virtual

Virtual field-trip session

City Toronto, Bogotá
Country Canada, Colombia
Language English, Spanish
Affiliation University of Toronto, Independent
Room Number 14

23:00 EDT

Grey City: Green Hope- Mumbai’s Maharashtra Nature Park

Maharashtra Nature Park’s 17-acre forested area within its 37 acres symbolizes the determination with which numerous citizens of the city of Mumbai worked to ensure that the dreams seeded by its great citizens Dr. Salim Ali and Shantha Chatterji and many more were nurtured to form a wonderful many dimensioned experiential living and breathing space created on an existing garbage dump.

Virtual Speakers

Urmila Rajadhyaksha

Co-Founder, NewarchThinkspace

devayani deshmukh

Founding Partner, Thinkspace

Hrishikesh Phadke

Thursday April 18, 2024 23:00 - Friday April 19, 2024 00:00 EDT
Virtual

Virtual field-trip session

City Toronto, Mumbai
Country Canada, India
Language English
Affiliation University of Toronto, ThinkSpace
Room Number 7

23:00 EDT

Inclusive Design for Urban Nature-based Solutions: Bridging Gaps and Enhancing Ecosystem Well-being

Developing Nature-based Solutions (NbS) through participatory and inclusive design is crucial for just and sustainable outcomes. The NbS interventions in urban areas, oftentimes, directly or indirectly tends to exclude certain groups of people in both design and implementation stages. A participatory approach, co-designed with the concerned stakeholders, acknowledging the cultural nuances, can help make the intervention holistic. This inclusive design fosters equal accessibility and benefits, enhancing ecosystem services for the well-being of all.

Virtual Speakers

Swarnika Sharma

Associate - Climate Team, Indian Institute for Human Settlements

Sheetal Patil

Thursday April 18, 2024 23:00 - Friday April 19, 2024 00:30 EDT
Virtual

Seed session

City Toronto, Bengaluru
Country Canada, India
Language English
Affiliation University of Toronto, Research Institution
Room Number 16

05:00 EDT

Do-It-Yourself Nature Action Plan

How can we empower people/communities to set their own nature targets? Once a target is set it becomes easier to get the politicians and companies on board to join in reaching the target.

Virtual Speakers

Gitty Korsuize

Urban ecologist, City of Utrecht

I like real conversations. I like to be inspired by your projects. And I like bats, plants, wild bees and people.

Friday April 19, 2024 05:00 - 06:30 EDT
Virtual

Seed session

City Toronto, Utrecht
Country Canada, The Netherlands
Language English
Affiliation University of Toronto, independent
Room Number 6

05:00 EDT

Interspecies Emotional Mapping for Planetary Health

Overview:

The nature of encountering other species can lead to multiplicity of emotional reactions that would be impossible to transcribe in complete detail here. This seed session aims to open a dialogue in which people can express their relationships with nature and look to how we can see the nature that is all around us. The session will look at the species found in our urban cities before looking more hollistically at wider global natures. Rather than looking at why people do not choose to engage with the outdoors, the focus of this session is to spotlight the ways people unknowingly connect with nature. The premise of this session is that the acknowledgement of humanity with natural systems allows everyone to engage with nature in unique ways.Subsequently, by looking at people's emotional reactions to species encounters wider questions will be asked about how to build conservation capacity for the benefit of planetary health.

About the session host:

The session will be run by Keir Chauhan a third-year undergraduate student specialising in Environmental Histories at University College London. Keir has worked with numerous conservation organisations especially on the subject of engagement and history. Keir is also a passionate birdwatcher and enjoys the benefits of being outside for his health when living in London.

Virtual Speakers

Keir Chauhan

Keir Chauhan is a third-year undergraduate student specializing in Environmental Histories at University College London. Keir has worked with numerous conservation organizations, especially on the subject of engagement and history. Keir is also a passionate birdwatcher and enjoys... Read More →

Friday April 19, 2024 05:00 - 06:30 EDT
Virtual

Seed session

City Toronto, London
Country Canada, United Kingdom
Language English
Affiliation University of Toronto, London National Park City
Room Number 14

05:00 EDT

Mangroves Matter: Mangroves for African Coastal Cities' Climate Resilience

In the wake of increased manifestation of climate catastrophes in coastal cities around world-with disproportionate impact on coastal communities in Africa-mangroves stand out as bankable nature-based solutions to most of these challenges. In addition to sequestering 50 times more carbon than tropical forests, mangroves protect coastal cities from storms, heat waves, coastal erosion, sea level rise, and tsunamis. The Kenyan Youth Biodiversity Network restores degraded mangrove ecosystems in Kenya's South Coast to enhance resilience of communities who depend directly on the Indian Ocean for livelihoods. This session is an open dialogue on how to enhance youth-led mangrove restoration in Africa.

www.youth4biodiversity.org

Virtual Speakers

Kevin Lunzalu

Co-founder, Kenyan Youth Biodiversity Network

Kevin Lunzalu is a marine ecologist, researcher, and ocean campaigner from Kenya. He has deep interest and experience in working with youth at grassroots level, governance and policy, environmental storytelling, and climate action. Lunzalu was listed among the Top 100 Young African... Read More →

Phoebe Mbau

Esther Maina

Abdul Hamid

Sponsors and Partners

Kenyan Youth Biodiversity Network

Friday April 19, 2024 05:00 - 06:30 EDT
Virtual

Seed session

City Toronto, Mombasa
Country Canada, Kenya
Language English
Affiliation University of Toronto, Kenyan Youth Biodiversity Network
Room Number 11

05:00 EDT

Mobilising Indigenous Voices Against Plastic Pollution in Ilaje Coastal Communities.

Poor waste management in urban cities has exacerbated urban flooding and sea level rise which has subsequently increases urban pollution. Our proposed seed session is designed to be an interactive panel discussion on "mobilisation of indigenous peoples' voices against plastic pollution" using Ilaje coastal communities as case studies of sustainable solutions to plastic pollution in coastal and marine communities.

Virtual Speakers

Olusegun Michael Ogundele

Oluranti Babatimehin

Ademola Elemide

Akanbi Esther

Friday April 19, 2024 05:00 - 06:30 EDT
Virtual

Seed session

City Toronto, Ibadan
Country Canada, Nigeria
Language English
Affiliation University of Toronto, Nigerian Youth Biodiversity Network, Kenyan Youth Biodiversity Network
Room Number 12

05:00 EDT

Reimagining waste within the urban metabolism - towards healthier cities

Waste is a common thread which connects us all. By reimagining waste through the lens of urban metabolism we can uncover a plethora of avenues leading towards a zero waste future. Informed by concepts of circular economy, degrowth, social ecology it’s possible to devise a blueprint which reflects the requirement for a broad systemic change in the nature of cities.

Virtual Speakers

Andrej Fideršek

Andrej Fideršek is the cofounder and an active member of the Zero Waste Žalec collective as well as an independent researcher who seeks paths towards a utopian society through the theory and praxis of social ecology. After graduating from Glasgow Caledonian University, he returned... Read More →

Milja Vuković

Art historian and environmental activist. Leading two eco initiatives: For Less Garbage and More Happiness - Zero Waste Serbia, focused on finding and promoting ways to create less waste and Wild Belgrade, dedicated to urban ecosystems. Member of Extinction Rebellion Serbia.Loves... Read More →

Federico Venturini

activist-researcher, University of Udine

Federico Venturini is a Research Associate at the University of Udine (Italy). His current research focuses on river contracts, Zero Waste, the Kurdish question and social ecology. In 2016, he earned his PhD at the University of Leeds. Focusing on the experiences in Rio de Janeiro... Read More →

Friday April 19, 2024 05:00 - 06:30 EDT
Virtual

Seed session

City Toronto, Žalec
Country Canada, Slovenia
Language English
Affiliation University of Toronto, Zero Waste Žalec
Room Number 5

05:00 EDT

Exploring Nature-Based Solutions in Nairobi's Informal Settlements

We will showcase innovative nature-based solutions (NbS) implemented in informal settlements in Nairobi under the RuNbS initiative. Small-scale community-led projects addressing crucial water management challenges, aiming to enhance urban resilience, building concrete evidence for non-concrete solutions in this complex context. Situated in community schools, youth group areas, and dense neighborhoods, we’ll share NbS including filter-drains, rain-gardens, and detention systems.

Virtual Speakers

Franklin Kirimi

Senior Design Associate, Kounkuey Design Initiative

Mr. Franklin Kirimi is a Landscape Architect, who has dedicated the last 5 years to the contextualization and sustainability of nature-based solutions (NBS) in urban informal settlements and in the urban context of sub-Saharan African cities. With a keen focus on overcoming challenges... Read More →

Annelyn Oranga

Friday April 19, 2024 05:00 - 06:30 EDT
Virtual

Virtual field-trip session

City Toronto, Nairobi
Country Canada, Kenya
Language English
Affiliation University of Toronto, Kounkuey Design Initiative (KDI)
Room Number 3

05:00 EDT

Field trip across the Blooming Campus of Free University Berlin

We will virtually walk across the Blooming Campus, which was mowed 8 times a year before 2019 and is now only mowed once or twice a year. This has created 10 hectares of flowering meadows that are rich in plants, insects, and other organisms. Additional actions create more food resources, habitats and hibernation opportunities for animals.

Virtual Speakers

Sophie Lokatis

Deutsche Wildtier Stiftung, Freie Universität Berlin

Urban nature enthousiast and conservation ecologists at Deutsche Wildtier Stiftung. Co-coordinating "Mehr Bienen für Berlin - Berlin blüht auf", a project aimed to foster wild bees all over Berlin, and this year's animal of the year campaign on the european hedgehog. Guest researcher... Read More →

Leon von Salisch

Rebecca Rongstock

Friday April 19, 2024 05:00 - 06:30 EDT
Virtual

Virtual field-trip session

City Toronto, Berlin
Country Canada, Germany
Language English
Affiliation University of Toronto, Blühender Campus FU, Freie Universität Berlin
Room Number 16

09:00 EDT

The Botanical Gardens of Argentina dream and do! Connecting citizens with nature.

The Botanical Gardens represent most of Argentina's ecoregions: from the Puna to Patagonia, from Buenos Aires to the Andes, we all dream and together we encourage citizines to recycle, embroider, research, exchange seeds, sow, plant native trees and dozens of other actions. We dream of more sustainable and livable cities for the future. We invite you to know our gardens in action

Virtual Speakers

Silvina Elena Mercado Ocampo

Presidenta, Red Argentina de Jardines Botánicos

Vanina Martinez

Marcela Inés Sánchez

Monday April 22, 2024 09:00 - 10:00 EDT
Virtual

Virtual field-trip session

City Toronto, Buenos Aires
Country Canada, Argentina
Language English, Spanish
Affiliation University of Toronto, Red Argentina de Jardines Botánicos
Room Number 3

17:00 EDT

Unveiling Urban Disparities: Exploring Inequitable Greenspaces in Toronto

The virtual tour will explore two Toronto neighbourhoods, shedding light on inequitable access to urban green spaces. Participants will learn how environmental injustices are perpetuated through urban planning design and procedures. We will uncover green space features that contribute to their exclusionary nature, fostering a deeper understanding of the barriers that hinder inclusivity and equity within these areas.

Virtual Speakers

Ambika Tenneti

Ph.D. Candidate, University of Toronto

Jacqueline L Scott

PhD Candidate, Writer, Hike Leader, Black Outdoors

Tuesday April 23, 2024 17:00 - 18:00 EDT
Virtual

Virtual field-trip session

City Toronto
Country Canada
Language English
Affiliation University of Toronto
Room Number 10

05:00 EDT

NATURA Roadmap for Urban Nature-based Solutions: What are the implications for Asia?

“Mainstreaming Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) requires consolidating current learning and addressing challenges to move forward. NATURA’s “Global Roadmap for urban NBS” initiative sought to take stock of the current research and practice of urban NBS, identifying gaps and opportunities to unlock future pathways. In this session, we will:
o Provide an overview of the key findings from the Global Roadmap for Asia
o Discuss the limitations of such stocktaking exercise and practical implications for research and practice
o Compare key findings against individual experiences from participants from the region to discuss the validity of the results”

Virtual Speakers

Erich Wolff

Research Fellow, Nanyang Technological University

Erich Wolff (he/him) is an interdisciplinary researcher and teacher working in Singapore, Brazil, Australia, Indonesia and Thailand. His work delves into citizen science, nature-based solutions and flood risk reduction. His publications examine the potential of citizen science and... Read More →

Perrine Hamel

Assistant Professor at Nanyang Technological University (NTU)’s Asian School of the Environment

Perrine Hamel is Assistant Professor at Nanyang Technological University (NTU)’s Asian School of the Environment. Her research and teaching focuses on urban ecosystem services, ecosystem-based management, and water resource management. Prior to joining NTU, she was a senior scientist... Read More →

Sponsors and Partners

Nanyang Technological University

Thursday April 25, 2024 05:00 - 06:30 EDT
Virtual

Seed session

City Toronto, Singapore
Country Canada, Singapore
Language English
Affiliation University of Toronto, Nanyang Technological University (Signapore)
Room Number 4

10:00 EDT

Arts of noticing: Tuning in to urban natures

With this session, we seek transformative and generative ways of knowing more-than-human urban worlds, focusing on embodied practices of walking in the city, on collecting data through audio recordings, video, and photography, and on the creative possibilities attending these modalities. This creative skills session brings together scholarship, sound, and image to show how sensory experiences are transformative.

Berlin (in person) Speakers

Loren March

Postdoctoral Fellow, York University

Loren March is a queer and trans scholar, activist, and human whose work focuses broadly on queer urban ecologies and affect. Through the lens of queer theory, they examine shifting affective relations with more-than-human spaces amidst processes of parks-led redevelopment and environmental... Read More →

Wednesday June 5, 2024 10:00 - 11:30 EDT
In-Person Berlin

Skills session

City Toronto
Country Canada
Language English
Affiliation Loren March - University of Toronto, SlowPitchSound - Independent
Room Number The Plane Tree House - Room 2

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