M.Sc. Leila Parhizgar

Short Biography

Leila Parhizgar is a doctoral candidate at the Chair for Strategic Landscape Planning and Management at the Technical University of Munich, within the DFG Research Training Group “Urban Green Infrastructure.” With a background in urban planning and a Master’s degree in Sustainable Resource Management, she explores approaches for the sustainable development of urban green infrastructure. Her current research focuses on urban tree mortality, the sustainable management of urban tree populations, and the contribution of trees to urban ecosystem services. She also employs dendrochronological methods to analyze the growth of urban trees using tree-ring data. Her work aims to develop evidence-based strategies for climate-resilient and future-proof urban landscapes. In 2024, she completed a research exchange at the University of Melbourne to broaden her professional perspective and strengthen international collaborations.

Research and consultancy

• Urban Green Infrastructure and Urban Forestry
• Management Strategies for Sustainable Urban Tree Stock
• Determinants of Urban Tree Mortality
• Urban Trees and Their Impact on Urban Ecosystem Services

Research Projects

• Research Training Group 2679 Urban Green Infrastructure: Training Next Generation Professionals for Integrated Urban Planning Research

Publications

• Reitberger, R.; Kooniyara, V. P.; Parhizgar, L.; Roetzer, T.; Lang, W.: Tree growth simulation in Geographic Information Systems: Coupling CityTree and ArcGIS for solar radiation analysis. Sustainable Cities and Society 120, 2025, 106128, DOI: 10.1016/j.scs.2025.106128
• Yazdi, H.; Chen, X.; Roetzer, T.; Parhizgar, L.; Pattnaik, N.; Ludwig, F.: A 3D Target-Driven Optimisation Tool for Tree Planting Location Using Temporal Tree Crown Geometry Development. Sustainable Cities and Society, 2025, DOI: 10.1016/j.scs.2025.106128
• Reitberger, R.; Pattnaik, N.; Parhizgar, L.; Trost, C.; Yazdi, H.; Rahman, M. A.; Pauleit, S.; Roetzer, T.; Pretzsch, H.; Traidl-Hoffmann, C.; Ludwig, F.; Reischl, A.; Plaza Garcia, M. P.; Lang, W.: A Systems Perspective on the Interactions Between Urban Green Infrastructure and the Built Environment. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, IOP Publishing, 2024, 012071, DOI: 10.1088/1755-1315/1363/1/012071

Further Activities:

• Parhizgar, L.; Moser-Reischl, A.; Franceschi, E.; Roetzer, T.: “CityTree Model: A Simulation Tool for Sustainable Urban Tree Growth and Ecosystem Services” We Walk the Talk: Posters by Doctoral Students for the TUM Sustainability Day 2024
• Parhizgar, L.; Pattnaik N.; Yazdi, H.; Qiguan, S.; Pauleit, S.; Rahman, M. A.; Ludwig, F.; Pretzsch, H.; & Rötzer, T.: “Deriving Branch Biomass Equations for Urban Tree Species Based on TLS Data: A Case Study in Munich”, Oral Presentation, German Ecological Society 53^rd Annual Conference 2024, Freising, Germany.
• Parhizgar, L.; Biber, P.; Moser-Reischl, A.; Rötzer, T.; Pretzsch, H.: “Mortality Rates of Urban Trees in Relation to Tree Species and Size Dynamics", Poster and Oral Presentation, 26^th World Congress IUFRO 2024, Stockholm, Sweden.
• Parhizgar, L.; Moser-Reischl, A.; Rötzer, T.; Pretzsch, H.:"Dynamics of Street Tree Populations in Urban Areas: Understanding Mortality Rates and Associations with Age and Size Classes", Poster Presentation, German Ecological Society 52nd Annual Conference 2023, Leipzig, Germany.
• Parhizgar, L.; Rötzer, T.: "Wie stark reduzieren Baumbestände/Baumartendie Temperaturen an den Münchner Plätzen in Abhängigkeit der Tages-/Jahreszeit? ", Oral Presentation, Workshop Grüne Plätze München, Zentrum Stadtnatur und Klimaanpassung (ZSK), München, Deutschland.

Supervision and Teaching

Teaching and tutoring: Urban Forestry, Advance methods in Urban Ecosystems

Complete Master and Bachelor Theses:

• Urban trees in climate change: Carbon-fixing and cooling effect in current and future climate conditions along a climate gradient across Germany (Gianluca B. C.; Supervision: Leila Parhizgar, Prof. Thomas Rötzer, Prof. Stephan Pauleit)

• Influence of tree species on the summer cooling effect of urban trees (Pietra O.; Supervision: Leila Parhizgar, Prof. Thomas Rötzer)

• Tree growth simulation in Geographic Information Systems: Coupling CityTree and ArcGIS for solar radiation analysis (Vinayak K.; Supervision: Roland Reitberger, Leila Parhizgar, Prof. Thomas Rötzer, Prof. Werner Lang)