Welcome !

We are an urban forestry & greening research lab based in the Department of Wood & Forest Sciences, Faculty of Forestry, Geography, and Geomatics at the Université​ Laval. We focus on transdisciplinary, applied, and collaborative research to build sustainable and resilient communities, while managing and finding nature-based solutions to improve urban and periurban areas for people, wildlife, and ecosystems. Our group is affiliated with the Research Chair on Urban Trees and its Environment (CRAUM), which aims to develop and design new tools for conserving and integrating of trees in urban cities. Our lab is deeply intrigued by the prospect of delving into and assessing the human anthropogenic impacts on urban forests and soils. Our work is positioned at the science-policy interface, and we work to bridge the science-society divide by working closely with practitioners, industry communities, and government. We welcome opportunities to perform collaborative research within and outside of academic settings. Feel free to get in touch with us!
News and Updates
August 2026. Our project on private urban trees has been selected for the Mitacs Globalink 2027 student call! Applications and the selection process are entirely managed by Mitacs : Embark on a Global Research Journey with Globalink Internship🌳

August 2026. Janani appeared on Radio-Canada’s Première heure to introduce the private tree inventory project and its interactive map : Le grand public invité à participer à l’inventaire des arbres privés de Québec | OHdio | Radio-Canada & Le public invité à participer à l’inventaire des arbres privés de Québec (suite) | OHdio | Radio-Canada.

July 2026. An innovative microforest project is taking root at Ludger-Bastien Park in Lévis. Developed in collaboration with CRAUM, the initiative integrates biochar and flood-adapted tree species to strengthen climate resilience. Learn more here.

July 2026. The CRAUM team recently visited the Technosol site at Université Laval’s Living Lab alongside Louis-Philippe Fortin, an expert in arboriculture and urban forestry. The visit provided an opportunity to monitor young trees and discuss best practices to support their long-term establishment, bringing together scientific knowledge and field expertise.

​July 2026. New publication! Congratulations to Habib Ador and Janani Sivarajah on their new publication in Agronomy. The study shows that Acacia biochar reduces arsenic uptake and enhances lettuce growth in a contaminated hydroponic system, highlighting its potential for more sustainable and safer soilless food production : Acacia Biochar Reduces Arsenic Uptake and Enhances Growth of Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) in a Contaminated Hydroponic System
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July 2026. New publication alert! Our latest review highlights the essential role of urban forests as living infrastructure supporting climate resilience, biodiversity, and environmental equity in cities : Rethinking urban forests as essential infrastructure for resilience, equity, and biodiversity in the current climate emergency

​Juin 2026. Our latest article, published in Ecological Engineering, explores how the composition of constructed soils influences short-term carbon dynamics in urban green spaces : How composition of constructed soils impacts their short-term carbon dynamics in urban green spaces: A scoping review

June 2026. A great week at the joint conference of the Canadian Society of Soil Science and the Canadian Society of Agronomy! The CRAUM was proud to share its research on urban soils, constructed Technosols, and biochar for greener, healthier, and more resilient cities.

June 2026. A Transition within CRAUM: Thank You to Claudelle Bourque and Welcome to Annabelle Poulin, Ravosoa Tianarinoro Ramaroson, and Yassmine Zada

June 2026. Our new interactive map of private trees is now live! You can explore the map here: Interactive Map of Private Trees in Québec City | CRAUM, and read the announcement here: A New Interactive Map Reveals a Hidden Urban Forest in Québec City.

Avril 2026. Congratulations to Habib on successfully passing his doctoral proposal defense !

Avril 2026. Interview with Savannah Bissegger O’Connor on her master’s project for Tree Canada !

Mars 2026. New publication in Socio‑Ecological Practice Research by Janani Sivarajah, co-authored with Jillian Booth, Jason Henry, Julia Baird, and Rhoda deJonge !

January 2026. Janani Sivarajah recently visited Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) in Bangladesh through the Programme de mobilité professorale pour le développement de collaborations internationales en recherche 2025‑2026, supported by the VRRCI at Université Laval. Learn more here !

January 2026. CRAUM is hiring summer 2026 research assistants – Apply now! Send your application to [email protected]. More information here.

December 2025. Congratulations to Md Ahosan Habib Ador, PhD candidate in the Sivarajah Lab, on successfully passing his doctoral examination !

November 2025. Three CRAUM students present research at SIAQ 2025 autumn arboriculture meeting !

October 2025. New experimental biodiversity plot established on the Université Laval Campus !

September 2025. Ravosoa Ramaroson, interviewed by ULaval News, shares why leaves change color in the fall—discover her explanation here!

August 2025. Janani Sivarajah participated in two interviews on CBC and BBC.

July 2025. New Opportunities: Master’s, PhD, and Post-Doc in Urban Ecology – see ‘Join the Lab’ section.

June 2025. Congratulations to the 2025 Labo Sivarajah award recipients! Discover our students’ scholarships and awards here.