Florida's savvy professor.

THIS OCCASIONAL SERIES SALUTES SOME OF THOSE HELPING MAKE GLOBAL RELEAF 2000's 20-MILLION-TREES GOAL A REALITY.

If you've planted trees around your house to reduce your energy costs, you have Jack Parker to thank. Parker, a long-time partner in AMERICAN FORESTS' Global ReLeaf campaign, may not be a household word, but the result of his pioneering research is.

Having studied the use of energy conservation landscaping to cut air conditioning needs, Parker, a professor of environmental science and chemistry at Florida International University, knows the value of planting the right trees in the right places.

Parker has planted energy-saving trees outside hundreds of southern Florida homes, often partnering with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity. "My main motivation is solving environmental problems and reducing energy use and costs," says Parker. "I realized planting trees in the right places is the best combination of both."

In 1990 he founded Trees for Dade, a Global ReLeaf partner, which plants trees in energy-efficient locations in Dade County, Florida. His plantings are an example of how individuals can support the Global ReLeaf 2000 campaign, AMERICAN FORESTS' goal of planting 20 million trees for the new millennium, and lower their energy costs. Individuals can count trees they've planted by themselves or with a group toward the 20 million goal.

Parker's interest in using trees for energy conservation was piqued in the mid-1970s when he served on a Florida state committee that dealt with energy planning and policy. "I started looking at the vast amounts of energy used in Florida for air conditioning," says Parker. "And I started researching energy conservation landscaping and realized there was almost no scientific information on it."

In 1980, after years of experiments on the role trees play in heat and energy transfer, Parker released the first scientific measurements that showed it was possible to achieve very large reductions in energy costs by strategically planting shade trees.

That research played an instrumental role in the development of Cool Communities, an AMERICAN FORESTS and U.S. Department of Energy program that uses strategic tree planting and light-colored surface materials to reduce energy use. In 1991 Parker received AMERICAN FORESTS' Urban Forestry Research Medal.

For more than a decade Parker has urged students to put his research to work by playing major roles in outside-the-classroom projects. "My fundamental principle for education is that students get involved," he says. The Florida Board of Regents recently honored him for community work with students.

Much of Parker's other work is aimed at educating people about the role trees can play in energy conservation. He's hosted workshops for homeowners on the value of a variety of energy-conserving practices, believing education programs make neighborhoods more sustainable. Partnering with socially concerned organizations is important in helping to incorporate environmental perspectives into their missions, says Parker.

For eight months he'll be at the University of Capetown in South Africa doing climate change research and environmental education, as well as promoting energy conservation landscaping. He also hopes to get involved with African tree-planting organizations.

Planting trees, says Parker, is the best way to help the planet and those who live on it: "Trees not only help the environment, they can save people money and improve the quality of life in neighborhoods."

Jennifer Baker is AMERICAN FORESTS' communications intern.