A discussion board has been created for urban forest inventory volunteers. This discussion board provides a forum to share experiences, discuss insights, and provide feedback about the urban forest inventory projects taking place in their communities. Follow the link to participate.
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/urban-forest-inventories
There’s a first time for everything! MSU Urban and Community Forestry Extension was invited by Dr. Scott Cagle (Chickasaw County Extension Coordinator) and the Chickasaw Regional Correctional Facility to give a talk about the arboriculture and tree surgeon professions to inmates at the facility. The presentation lasted around one hour and focused on what arborists and tree surgeons do, the differences between arborists and tree surgeons, certification, education, and state regulations allowing convicted felons to work in the tree care industry. We also covered some basics on pruning, tree establishment, support systems, emergency tree care, tree health care, and tree protection in construction zones. The students paid close attention and seemed to enjoy the session. We hope they are able to benefit from the information at some point in the future.
Tree topping is when the top of the tree is shaved off with no consideration for how the tree’s future growth will be impacted. Utility companies often top trees to make room for lines; however, the tree should not have been planted in that location in the first place. The home owner is responsible for removing the tree and replanting with a tree that fits the space. In other cases, home owners often feel that their trees have become too large for their property, so they aim to make them smaller. We see this a lot with crape myrtle (sometimes called crape murder in the South). Topping actually increases the potential that the tree will become a hazard in the future. Because the pruning cuts are not in the right places (i.e., not at the branch collar where the tree naturally repairs and heals itself), weak limbs are develop in response. A strong storm can cause these weak structured branches to break. A good arborist will never suggest or recommend to top
a tree.
This tree is a native of Asia and is an invasive species in some states. It is a small to medium sized tree with yellow flowers and bladder-like pods that start green, then ripen to orange in the fall. They contain small black seeds. What is this tree?
By 2020, the Mississippi-Alabama Gulf Coast population is projected to increase by 75% to 1.3 million residents. This rate of urbanization impacts urban forest ecosystems which in turn influence local resilience regarding, e.g., thermal comfort, energy use, air quality, carbon storage, wildlife habitat, health benefits, property values, and commercial benefits. Urban forests also act as natural storm buffers by reducing wind speeds, improving water quality, and intercepting the flow of precipitation reaching the ground.
This research and outreach project addresses four related issues: (1) there is a need for urban ecosystem management along the Mississippi-Alabama Gulf Coast; (2) urban ecosystem management is critical to community resiliency; (3) tree canopy data is a baseline for informed ecosystem management; and (4) sustainable urban ecosystem management requires resident engagement.
To this end, we identified resident needs and concerns about urban trees and storm mitigation from key informant interviews and a mail survey across the study area. Using the survey information, we then implemented four bottom-up, volunteer-based urban tree inventories. Inventory projects included several trainings and public workshops for which we gathered evaluation data. Research results indicate important concerns regarding tree hazards, homeowners insurance, and sustainable urban tree management. Despite these concerns, pre- and post-evaluations demonstrate a significant increase in knowledge and positive attitudes about trees, urban forest management, and level of self-efficacy regarding participants’ ability to contribute to community forest well-being.
Period: 2014-2015
This paper examines the extent to which Gulf Coast communities value waterfront green space preservation versus developing waterfront open space. Urban green space near waterfront areas includes socially valued landscapes such as scenic sites, wilderness areas, historic and cultural resources, recreation areas, rivers, lakes, estuaries, and salt marshes. Green space provides a wide variety of goods and services including aesthetics, wildlife habitat, recreational opportunities, urban heat island reduction, air quality improvements, stormwater runoff amelioration, energy use reductions, exercise opportunities, a place to relax, and increased real estate values. Many wetlands along the Gulf Coast offer prime examples of how continued degradation of green space increases socioeconomic and biophysical vulnerabilities at local and regional scales. Nevertheless, green space policy-making is complicated by local governments’ dependence on property taxes for operating revenue as well as increasingly limited municipal budgets which exacerbate opportunity costs.
Despite these challenges, it is critical to consider the benefits of green space when evaluating waterfront uses, particularly in places characterized by increasingly land consumptive development patterns such as those along the Gulf Coast. The overall goal of this research is to assist coastal communities in making informed decisions about waterfront planning and management towards increased social and ecological resilience.
We used a mixed methods, multi-disciplinary approach to generate an in-depth understanding of how communities value and use waterfront spaces. Facilitated group discussions are conducted to generate insights about emerging phenomena and obtain contextual information (including environmental and social inequities). In addition, we incorporate these findings into a general population mail survey to determine tradeoffs among alternative waterfront uses and development scenarios. Finally, a revealed preference model was employed using market transaction data.
Findings expand on notions about community attitudes and values towards public goods and the local actions needed to efficiently manage those goods to improve social-ecological adaptations. Results point to the need for public intervention to address market failures, including public acquisition of land, regulatory approaches, and incentive-based approaches. Implications for planning and policy are considered in addition to recommendations for outreach education.
Period: 2014-2016
This project encompasses three related issues: (1) a critical need for urban ecosystem management in Mississippi; (2) tree canopy data is a baseline for informed ecosystem management; and (3) sustainable urban ecosystem management requires resident engagement. Our multidisciplinary project team will work with arboriculture professionals and communities to teach residents and Extension agents to conduct urban forest canopy inventories using I-Tree Eco software. Residents will improve their knowledge and skills regarding ecosystem management and strengthen community social activeness. Data will be used to further local efforts in urban planning and grant writing. This project pilots a new educational program for the MSU Extension Service, reaches urban clientele, and expands program offerings to include civic ecology/community forestry.
Deliverables: (1) The project will create interest in tree canopy inventories by other communities as measured by number of information requests received by project personnel; (2) 2 in-service trainings for North Mississippi and South Mississippi; (3) at least 8 municipalities (two in each Extension district) complete tree inventories; (4) at least 3 Extension publications
Period: 2013-2015
Jason S. Gordon
Assistant Extension Professor
Department of Forestry
Mississippi State University
Box 9681 Thompson Hall
Mississippi State, MS 39762
Phone: (662) 325-8851
Fax: (662) 325-0027
jg966@msstate.edu
Position: Statewide Urban and Community Forestry Extension Specialist
Responsibilities: Extension education, outreach, and research
Education: PhD, The Pennsylvania State University, Natural Resource Sociology
B.S., University of Georgia, Forestry
Affiliations: Society of American Foresters, International Society of Arboriculture (SO6848A), International Association for Society and Natural Resources
This is not an invasive species, although it originates from East Asia where it is known as “tea flower” and several species are used in the cultivation of tea leaves for beverage. The plant is evergreen, relatively short with a bushy shape, and has brightly colored flowers during the winter. Like other calcifuges known for their flowers, it prefers acidic soils. This is the state flower of Alabama. Do you know what tree this is?
Source: AMY WOLD awold@theadvocate.com January 18, 2015
The benefits of an urban Forest go beyond water and air quality. A good tree coverage and other landscaping can serve as an economic benefit and make people more willing to spend more in a business district, said Kathleen Wolf, University of Washington College of the Environment research scientist.
“Trees are more than being pretty. It’s more than just aesthetics,” she said.
Speaking at Baton Rouge Green’s Arbor Day luncheon at LSU on Friday, Wolf talked about the many social aspects of urban forestry.
“The work I bring to all this is why. Why do we want to plant trees in our communities,” Wolf said. “We know that trees are not necessarily popular with everyone.”
One research project she worked on looked at how people perceive business districts based on how much tree coverage was present, not just in front of one business, but in the district as a whole. People were shown pictures of a business street with heavy tree coverage, light tree coverage, all the way to nothing but bare sidewalks.
People were asked to rate which one they prefer and the majority chose tree cover while business owners much preferred the bare sidewalks. Business owners had concerns about trees hiding their business from customers, having to deal with tree debris and even damage from the tree root system.
Wolf said they also gave people a list of common products they would find in a business district and asked people how much they would pay for each while showing a picture of a business street with urban forest coverage and one without.
What they found is that people were willing to pay 9 percent to 12 percent more for the same product in businesses where there was a tree canopy than without. People also had a more positive outlook as to the quality of service and products at the businesses with the urban canopy, she said.
“In terms of visual presence, trees matter,” Wolf said.
Wolf said showed a picture of the main street of Bainbridge Island, Washington, where trees combine with facing benches to create more of a living room type feel. It’s a place meant to encourage lingering in the business district, she said.
In addition, studies are finding that urban forestry has measurable health benefits as well, Wolf said.
One study showed a correlation between reducing low birth weight in children and the proximity of vegetation at the home.
Scientists also studied counties in 15 states that were infected with a common pest. The research was to determine the health of the county while the trees were in place compared to after they had to be cut down. The scientists found an increase in deaths from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases after the trees were cut down, Wolf said. The opposite was found when it came to helping people recover from illnesses. When surgery patients are given a recovery room with a view to nature, researchers have found patients have less pain, fewer minor complications and stay in the hospital for less time, Wolf said.
“Hospitals are now taking this seriously and are building in green spaces to their recovery areas,” Wolf said.
Other studies showed that children who go to schools with a view of trees get better test scores and have a better graduation rate, she said.
“Trees, parks and gardens are essential in our communities. They’re not just nice to have,” Wolf said.
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