New guidance for tracking long-term tree survival, growth, and health
part of the Urban Forest Connections Webinars Series
Field monitoring of urban trees is essential to learn how urban forests change over time. Many arborists and urban forest managers worldwide seek to understand how their tree systems are faring in terms of growth, health, and mortality. The Urban Tree Growth & Longevity Working Group of the International Society of Arboriculture has developed standard protocols and effective strategies for long-term data collection. This new guidance, which includes a Field Guide, Resource Guide, and companion training videos, gives detailed instructions for how to record a small set of variables consistently over time that will support adaptive management. The intended users are any urban forestry professionals who intend to carry out field-based tree monitoring, whether with arborists, interns, or citizen scientists.
Dr. Lara Roman will lay out the key practices and components of the Field Guide. Dr. Natalie van Doorn will go deeper into specific tips for successful implementation. And Dana Dentice will illustrate how these protocols have been put to work in training volunteers in Philadelphia to successfully monitor young tree health and survival.
