The Secret Life of Cities: How Nature and People Shape Each Other in Urban Environments

Tuesday, August 11, 2026
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Ecumen Pathstone Latitude and Landing, 115 Rogers St, Mankato, MN 56001

Today, more than 85% of Americans live in urban areas, yet scientists only began studying cities as ecosystems in a systematic way in the 1990s. Since then, research has revealed that cities are far more than collections of buildings and roads—they are living systems where human activities, natural processes, and environmental conditions interact in complex ways.

This presentation explores how insights from urban ecology are helping communities address some of their most pressing environmental challenges. Using research conducted in U.S. cities, we will examine practical solutions to problems like urban heat islands, phosphorus and salt stormwater pollution, drinking water quality, and how household decisions impact the environment. We will see how scientific discoveries are shaping public policy and improving the health, sustainability, and livability of our cities. 

Presenter:

Larry Baker is a retired Research Professor at the UMN whose career combined ecology and environmental engineering to better understand how nature and people interact in ecosystems, particularly in cities and agricultural landscapes. His research focused on water quality, nutrient cycling, and other environmental challenges, blending scientific theory with practical solutions. He has published more than 100 papers and book chapters, edited two books, and collaborated with more than 60 faculty members and students across disciplines. Now retired, Baker has turned his attention to making science relevant to the voting public by writing newspaper columns on environmental issues. 

Sponsor: Steve Gilbert