Natalia Piland

Natalia Piland is a Research Assistant Professor at the Center for Environment, Community, and Equity (CECE) at American University, with a Courtesy Postdoctoral Associate position at Florida International University. Her work bridges academic research and practical application in environmental stewardship, urban forestry, and community engagement, drawing from over ten years of experience with organizations including the USDA Forest Service, The Nature Conservancy, and Wildlife Conservation Society.

Dr. Piland's research centers on the fundamental question: 'How do we create a better world together?' She employs multi-, inter-, and trans-disciplinary methods to explore conceptual understandings of stewardship systems, workforce development in service corps, and resident experiences of the energy transition. Her work consistently integrates social and ecological perspectives with particular attention to equity and justice dimensions. Key research areas include:

• Urban stewardship and the distribution of green infrastructure
• River science and human-river relationships
• Participatory approaches to conservation and environmental management
• Biocultural perspectives on environmental change
• Workforce development in environmental sectors

Her scholarly output demonstrates a consistent pattern of integrating diverse methodologies and perspectives. Recent publications show increasing emphasis on collaborative approaches to environmental challenges, with significant contributions to urban forestry research, Amazon conservation science, and participatory research methods. She has been instrumental in translating research into policy impact, notably through the Forest for All NYC coalition which successfully advocated for New York City legislation requiring a citywide urban forest plan targeting 30% tree canopy cover.

Dr. Piland has extensive experience collaborating across sectors and mentoring students. She emphasizes co-creation of knowledge and integrating diverse ways of knowing in both research and teaching contexts. Her community engagement extends beyond academia through initiatives like co-curating a monthly book club and co-founding the community blog Limanatural for Lima residents.