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Funded Projects in ProgressRevised April 12, 2001 |
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Funded Projects in ProgressRevised April 12, 2001 |
A Study of the Effect of Vegetation on Micro-Climates
and Residential Energy Use in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
(1995 Costs & Benefits of Urban Forests Project)
Energy conservation attributable to trees through direct shading, evapotranspiration,
and wind shielding is experienced locally in lower utility bills and reduced
peak energy demand. On the larger scale, a reduction in energy use implies
lower emissions of greenhouse gases (including carbon dioxide) from the burning
of fossil fuels. Building on previous work in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this study
seeks to quantify the effect of vegetation on microclimate and residential energy
use. The first phase of the study monitors air temperature, wind direction
and speed, and solar radiation in three neighborhoods with distinctly different
tree canopies. Differences in microclimate variables attributable to vegetation
would imply differences in energy used for heating and cooling. The second
phase studies changes in energy use related to the removal of large healthy
trees. Electricity and gas use for one year before the tree removal will be
compared with data for one year after removal, with any significant weather-corrected
difference signaling an effect due to the presence of the tree. On the recommendation
of the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council, the USDA Forest
Service Urban and Community Forestry Program awarded a $55,000 grant to the
$115,250 project. For further information, contact Geoffrey Lewis, President,
Arbor Resources Group, 405 West Mosley Street, #4, Ann Arbor, MI 48103. Phone:
(734) 665-6665. E-mail: glewis@umich.edu.
The Influence of Urban Fringe Forest on the
Development of Urban Communities.
(1997 Research & Technology Development Project)
Forests are being rapidly converted to urban development. Many fringe forests,
however, still surround metropolitan regions and remnant forest islands exist
within the region as parks or scattered forest cover in residential developments.
While forests are prized for building sites, they often are degraded by the
stresses imposed by the development process. Eventually, a forest is fragmented
to the point it no longer functions as a self-sustaining forest and becomes
more a collection of trees. This project seeks to document the influence that
forests have had on suburban and exurb expansion. On the recommendation of
the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council, the USDA Forest
Service Urban and Community Forestry Program awarded a $21,700 grant to the
$43,400 project. For further information, contact John Ball, Horticulture,
Forestry, Landscape, and Parks Department, South Dakota State University, Box
2140A, NPB 201, Brookings, SD 57007-0996. Phone: (605) 688-4737. E-mail: john_ball@sdstate.edu.
Examining Ethnic Differences
and Shifts in Urban Forestry Attitudes through Group Design of Scale Models.
(1997 Research & Technology Development Project)
To determine the urban forestry policy implications of America’s changing ethnic
composition, small groups of black, white, Hispanic, and Chinese participants
will be studied as they use scale models to design the urban forest landscapes
they prefer. Educational and occupational data will be collected to explore
whether or to what extent socioeconomic status overrides ethnicity in people’s
attitudes toward these landscapes. Because knowledge levels may also be more
important than ethnic differences, some groups will receive information on urban
forestry principles and benefits before using scale modes. Models of neighborhood
open spaces and residential streetscapes will be used. On the recommendation
of the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council, the USDA Forest
Service Urban and Community Forestry Program awarded a $34,650 grant to the
$69,850 project. For further information, contact J. Alan Wagar, Owner, UTMS,
17076 10th Avenue, N.W., Shoreline, WA 98177. Phone: (206) 546-8251.
E-mail: alwagar@aol.com.
The View from the Road: Costs
and Benefits of Roadside Urban Forests for Business Districts.
(1997 Research & Technology Development Project)
Design guidelines for highway roadsides and rights-of-way urge conservation
and preservation of urban forests to enhance visual quality and provide ecological
benefits. Yet in semi-urban areas commercial and retail businesses often regard
roadside vegetation as a hindrance to business goals. This research, using
both interview and survey methods, assessed attitudes and values regarding roadside
forests, sampling both business owners and highway users. The project also
evaluated roadside urban forest benefits and satisfactions, including amenity
resource valuation. Results will provide information useful for developing
roadside planning and management practices that meet the needs of both highway
drivers and business communities. On the recommendation of the National Urban
and Community Forestry Advisory Council, the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community
Forestry Program awarded a $77,749 grant to the $155,610 project. For further
information, contact Kathleen L. Wolf, University of Washington, Center for
Urban Horticulture, Box 354115, Seattle, WA 98195-4115. Phone: (206) 616-5758.
E-mail: kwolf@u.washington.edu.
University of Washington’s web page can be found at www.cfr.washington.edu.
Trees and Traditions of the
Native Americans.
(1997 Education, Communication & Outreach Project)
Trees and Traditions of the Native Americans is a six-part documentary series
now scheduled to be finished mid-Summer of 2000. Almost 100 interviews have
been completed with individuals from dozens of Native American tribes across
the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii. The series will tell the Native
American story of indigenous connections to forests and trees through personal
interviews with elders, tribal leaders, artists and others. Urban and community
forestry will be linked through the sharing of many community-based traditions
with trees and forests. The documentary series will be available through Trees
Forever after June of 2000. A beautiful educational poster will accompany the
series. On the recommendation of the National Urban and Community Forestry
Program awarded a $225,334 grant to the $592,920 project. For further information,
contact Shannon Ramsay, T.R.E.E.S. Forever, 770 Seventh Avenue, Marion, IA 52302.
Phone: (319) 373-0650. E-mail: sramsay@treesforever.org. T.R.E.E.S.
Forever’s web page can be found at www.treesforever.org.
Social and Psychological Impacts
of Residential Development Patterns at the Urban-Forest Fringe.
(1998 Research & Technology Development Project)
In a three-phased research approach, this project explores patterns of residential
development that preserve forested land and assesses the social and psychological
impacts of these patterns on the people who interact with them. Studies done
in both Washington and Michigan will begin to tease apart people’s potentially
contradictory values regarding residential development along the urban-forest
fringe and to explore some of the tradeoffs among these values. The project
will provide insight into how these residential developments can be accommodated
in ways that preserve forests while providing individuals with satisfying places
to live. On the recommendation of the National Urban and Community Forestry
Advisory Council, the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program
awarded $156,736 grant to the $313,472 project. For further information, contact
Dr. Anne Kearney, University of Washington, College of Forest Resources, Box
352100, Seattle, WA 98195-2100. Phone: (206) 685-7140. E-mail: akearney@u.washington.edu. University
of Washington’s web page can be found at www.cfr.washington.edu/faculty/kearneyA.htm.
Sustainable Urban Orchard with
Urban Produce Marketing Cooperative.
(1998 Creative & Innovative Project)
TreeFolks in partnership with Austin Community Gardens (ACG) and Texas Organic
Growers Association (TOGA) propose to develop revenue-generating organic urban
fruit/nut tree orchards and neighborhood-wide fruit tree planting efforts in
low-income communities concurrent with the development of a marketing cooperative.
Because locally grown organic fruit is in high demand and consumers are willing
to pay premium prices, the project partners intend to develop a self-sustaining,
organic produce marketing cooperative in Austin linking low-income growers with
high end retailers, restaurants and caterers. Bilingual, culturally-appropriate
growing guides and other education materials will be developed for community
and neighborhood gardeners as well as cooperative members. Our goal is to promote
economic development and entrepreneurship in low-income neighborhoods in South
and East Austin through the creation of the cooperative while emphasizing sustainable,
urban agricultural practices. Cooperative members will be comprised of the
area’s community and home gardeners. Technical assistance will be provided
in all aspects of production, business development and marketing. The preliminary
business plan for the marketing cooperative envisions it becoming a self-sustaining
entity by the end of year two. On the recommendation of the National Urban
and Community Forestry Advisory Council, the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community
Forestry Program awarded a $123,834 grant to the $247,668 project. For further
information, contact Mary McCarthy, TreeFolks, Inc., P.O. Box 704, Austin, TX
78767. Phone: (512) 443-5323. E-mail: treefolk@io.com. TreeFolks, Inc.’s web page
can be found at www.treefolks.org.
Public Service Announcement: Trees Are My
Friends!
(1998 Education, Communication & Outreach Project)
Eagle Eye Institute is currently developing a Public Service Announcement whose
purpose is to educate people of color about the importance of urban street trees
and engage them in caring for those trees. The PSA is based on the song “Trees
are my Friends,” written by Anthony Sanchez, and depicts people of color learning
about, enjoying, and caring for trees in their communities. A pilot version
of the PSA will air throughout Massachusetts in April of 2000, followed by a
national version in April 2001. The PSA will be linked to a toll-free number
and a web site that will be active from March through April of 2000. Both places
will include information on community organizations that work with urban trees.
Viewers who watch the PSA may call the number or access the web site and obtain
contact information for organizations and Earth Day events in their area. They
will then contact the individual organizations and get involved in local activities.
On the recommendation of the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory
Council, the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program awarded
a $98,000 grant to the $214,000 project. For further information, contact Anthony
Sanchez, Eagle Eye Institute, Inc., 14 Chapel Street, Somerville, MA 02144.
Phone: (617) 666-5222. E-mail: eeaglei@aol.com.
Roadside Ecosystem Study.
(1998 Research & Technology Development Project)
The Roadside Ecosystem study has developed and is testing vegetation models
conceived to restore public landscape spaces to a more natural state reflecting
the regional flora. Evaluation of the aesthetic and environmental benefits,
the horticultural success and the economic input required of vegetation models
will be documented over a minimum of two growing seasons. Surveys and focus
groups will measure public perception of the various vegetation schemes. The
Delaware Department of Transportation has since entered into an agreement with
the investigators to create a Roadside Vegetation Design Concept Manual. The
models will serve as the basis for this manual to guide vegetation installation
and improvement along roadsides throughout Delaware. On the recommendation
of the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council, the USDA Forest
Service Urban and Community Forestry Program awarded a $71,000 grant to the
$271,600 project. For further information, contact Gary Schwetz, Delaware Center
for Horticulture, 1810 North Dupont Street, Wilmington, DE 19806. Phone: (302)
658-6262. E-mail: gschwetz@dehort.org. Delaware Center for
Horticulture’s web page can be found at www.dehort.org.
Guidelines for Developing and
Evaluating Tree Ordinances on the Web.
(1999 Education, Communication & Outreach Project)
Through this project, we have established a free web site (http://www.isa-arbor.com/tree-ord/ordintro.htm)
based on the publication Guidelines for Developing and Evaluating Tree Ordinances
to assist citizens and local governments with the process of developing, revising,
and evaluating tree ordinances. The site describes how to integrate tree ordinances
with the community tree management program. It provides detailed descriptions
of methods used to monitor community tree resources, tree management activities,
and community attitudes. Rather than using a “model ordinance” approach, it
provides annotated examples of effective ordinance provisions. Over the grant
period, we will continue to expand site content with input from community forestry
professionals. On the recommendation of the National Urban and Community Forestry
Advisory Council, the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program
awarded a $24,250 grant to the $48,500 project. For further information, contact
Dr. Tedmund J. Swiecki, Phytosphere Research, 1027 Davis Street, Vacaville,
CA 95687. Phone: (707) 452-8735. Phytosphere Research’s web page can be found
at http://phytosphere.com.
Nature’s Assets: Public Perceptions of the
Community Forest of Business Districts in Small Towns.
(1999 Research & Technology Development Project)
Central business districts of small communities strive to both retain and expand
their customer base in the face of intense retail competition. A recent study
concluded that revitalizing business districts in the urban core can use urban
forest improvements to boost revenues through improved consumer perceptions
and associated patterns of shopping behavior. Can the same be said for small
communities in more rural settings? How do community needs and forest planning
process compare to urban retail districts? This study will use interviews and
surveys to explore such questions, thereby providing comprehensive evidence
about the role of trees in ALL retail environments. On the recommendation of
the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council, the USDA Forest
Service Urban and Community Forestry Program awarded a $84,000 grant to the
$168,000 project. For further information, contact Kathleen Wolf, University
of Washington, Center for Urban Horticulture, P.O. Box 354115, Seattle, WA 98195.
Phone: (206) 616-5758. E-Mail: kwolf@u.washington.edu. The University
of Washington’s web page can be found at www.cfr.washington.edu
Managing Urban Forest Fear/Safety and Vegetation/Privacy:
Alternatives to Clearing the Trees.
(1999 Research & Technology Development Project)
Urban forest settings that provide for public needs of vegetative naturalness
and privacy are also settings rated high for public fear and safety concerns.
Clearing of native vegetation may address the fear/safety concerns of these
settings, but it destroys the vegetative naturalness/privacy attributes of the
settings. This projects surveys and analyzes the fear/safety concerns and vegetative/privacy
needs of on-site visitors to a diversity of micro-site settings in urban forests/parks,
in order to provide alternative management techniques to vegetation clearing
of natural/privacy settings with fear/safety concerns. On the recommendation
of the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council, the USDA Forest
Service Urban and Community Forestry Program awarded a $39,950 grant to the
$80,446 project. For further information, contact Dr. William Hammitt, Clemson
University, Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism, 282-A Lehotsky Hall,
Clemson, SC 29634-1005. Phone: (864) 656-0787. E-mail: Hammitw@clemson.edu.
Bike Rack “cum” Tree Guard: Protecting Our
Street Trees.
(1999 Creative & Innovative Project)
Trees New York is tackling a common streetscape clash between two good environmental
practices: the planting/maintenance of street trees and bicycle usage. In collaboration
with Cooper Union, we will develop a bike rack that also serves as a tree guard.
The objective is to protect street trees while offering new bike parking opportunities
with a practical, cost effective, flexible design. We intend to design the
device through a competitive competition format, then produce and pilot a prototype
that will fit in a variety of streetscape scenarios. The project emphasizes
that street trees are an extremely important component of a community’s infrastructure.
On the recommendation of the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory
Council, the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program awarded
a $58,830 grant to the $125,130 project. For further information, contact Barbara
Eber-Schmid. Trees New York, 51 Chambers Street, #1412A, New York, NY 10007.
Phone: (212) 227-1887. E-mail: treesny@treesny.com.
You can find The Trees New York’s web site on www.treesny.com.
Exploring Ecological Linkages
Between Urban and Rural Communities.
(1999 Creative & Innovative Project)
American Forests and the Communities Committee of the Seventh American Forest
Congress are developing regional pilot projects to explore urban-rural linkages
in the Puget Sound and Chesapeake Bay areas. The two national organizations
will: 1) help urban and rural community leaders identify shared objectives and
actions; 2) provide seed money to help implement actions; 3) connect local groups
to national networks, and 4) assist in efforts to raise additional financial
and technical support. American Forests will produce a report on each pilot
discussing regional objectives and actions, institutional and policy issues,
and ways to strengthen linkages between urban and rural communities. On the
recommendation of the National Urban and Community Forestry Program, the USDA
Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program awarded a $50,000 grant
to the $125,000 project. For further information, contact Gerald J. Gray, American
Forests, P.O. Box 2000, Washington, DC 20013. Phone: (202) 955-4500 ext.
217. E-mail: ggray@amfor.org. American Forest’s web page
can be found at www.amfor.org.
Urban Trees to Household Furniture.
(1999 Creative & Innovative Project)
This project will combine two of our precious natural resources, people and
trees. We will accomplish two main objectives. One objective is to add value
to low-quality, hardwood lumber, and urban trees that are unwanted or storm
damaged. The second objective will be to provide vocational training and a
sense of well-being for the physical and mentally challenged clients of Spectrum
Industries who will build quality furniture and craft items that will be marketed
throughout the Midwest. This project will serve as an educational model to
demonstrate that value can be added to trees that are removed through a comprehensive
urban forestry program. On the recommendation of the National Urban and Community
Forestry Advisory Council, the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry
Program awarded a $50,000 grant to a $173,800 project. For further information,
contact Teresa Steffens, Resource Conservation & Development for NE Iowa,
Inc., P.O. Box 916, Postville, IA 52162-0916. Phone: (319) 864-7112 E-mail:
tsteffen@terra.ia.nrcs.usda.gov.
GreenWorks! Works.
(1999 Education, Communication & Outreach Project)
GreenWorks! Works is a campaign to promote environmental service learning emphasizing
the educational value in exposing students to urban and community forestry practices.
Twenty thousand copies of a GreenWorks! Works manual, with English and Spanish
student material, will be produced and distributed to educators and forestry
supporters. The project will be promoted at 16 conferences, 1,000 workshops,
on the web, and in magazines and newsletters. Educators will be recruited to
support forestry and the construction and use of schoolyard and parkland forest
learning centers by demonstrating the capacity for such endeavors to address
school reform priorities and pedagogical needs. On the recommendation of the
National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council, the USDA Forest Service
Urban and Community Forestry Program awarded a $104,529 grant to the $225,268
project. For further information, contact Caroline Alston, American Forest
Foundation, 1111 19th Street N.W., Washington, DC 20036. Phone:
(202) 463-2472. E-mail: calston@plt.org.
American Forest Foundation’s web page can be found at www.affoundation.org.
The Influence of Urban Trees on Rental Rates
at Commercial Developments: A Pilot Study in Northeast Ohio.
(1999 Research & Technology Development Project)
Large numbers of preserved and planted trees give rise to superior landscaping
environments. This project will articulate the benefits that are captured in
the rental rates tenants are willing to pay for occupancy at a site with high
landscaping values. A random sample of commercial developments in Northeastern
Ohio will be identified. Test areas will be designated and leasing rates acquired
from agents. Variables that are likely to have an impact on rental rates will
be determined and supporting methodology provided. Correlation among all identified
variables will be noted and step-wise regression run. Observations will be
made and detailed analysis conducted regarding the manner and degree to which
the tree factor affects rental rates. On the recommendation of the National
Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council, the USDA Forest Service Urban
and Community Forestry Program awarded a $32,115 grant to the $71,230
Project. For further information, contact R.J. Laverne, The Davey Resources Group, 1500 North Mantau Street, Kent, OH 44240-5193. Phone: (330) 673-9511 ext. 346. E-mail: rjlaverne@davey.com. The Davey Resources Group’s web page can be found at www.davey.com.
Model Community Forestry Internship
Program.
(1999 Education, Communication & Outreach Project)
The Greening of Detroit’s Model Community Forestry Internship Program (MCFIP)
will provide educators and community forestry organizations with the tools to
train graduates so they can strengthen forestry programs and empower communities
to restore their ecosystems. In addition, MCFIP will increase environmental
awareness among residents living in urban settings nationally and provide opportunities
for them to effect environmental decay. Through the MCFIP, The Greening will:
1) encourage students throughout the country to pursue careers in urban forestry;
2) Develop strong community outreach and advocacy skill among graduates; 3)
Increase awareness of environmental concerns within urban communities. On the
recommendation of the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council,
the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program awarded a $13,000
grant to the $38,000 project. For further information, contact Rebecca Salminen
Witt, The Greening of Detroit, 1418 Michigan Avenue, Detroit, MI 48216. Phone:
(313) 237-8733. E-mail: greeningdetroit@hotmail.com. The
Greening of Detroit’s web page can be found at http://comnet.org/greening.
Exploring Social-Structural
and Social-Psychological Bases of Environmental Concern and Urban Wildlife Values
in Ethnic Minority Populations.
(1999 Research & Technology Development Project)
Recognizing the need to assess and address the perceptions and values of America’s
growing multi-cultural, diverse ethnic minority populations with respect to
urban forests, parks, wildlife and their management, this study will explore
the social-demographic and social-psychological bases of urban and community
forestry related environmental concern and wildlife values among four ethnic
minority communities (Hispanics, Chinese, Koreans, and Japanese) in two urban
and community centers in the Northeastern and the Southern United States. Knowledge
generated by this study will assist natural resource management agencies in
identifying and investing in actions that will keep urban and community forestry
programs across the nation in tune with ethnic minority populations’ values
and needs. On the recommendation of the National Urban and Community Forestry
Advisory Council, the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program
awarded a $59,478 grant to the $125,983 project. For further information, contact
Geoffrey Godbey, Pennsylvania State University, School of Hotel, Restaurant
& Recreation, 228 Mateer Building, University Park, PA 16802-1307. Phone:
(814) 863-8985. E-mail: g7g@psu.edu. Pennsylvania
State University’s web page can be found at www.hrrm.psu.edu.
Creating an Edible Urban Forest
in Detroit.
(1999 Creative & Innovative Project)
This project will establish a diverse, mixed edible urban forest on vacant lots
in Detroit, where approximately one in every three households lives in poverty,
and one in every four experiences moderate to severe hunger. Community agroforestry
practices may boost community self-sufficiency by providing both edible (fruits,
nuts) and saleable (timber, firewood) products. The project will cultivate,
educate, and connect community leaders, ensuring long-term project sustainability.
The project will serve as a model for other large American cities, demonstrating
how edible urban forests can contribute to revitalization of neighborhoods,
provide energy and habitat benefits, contribute to community building, and provide
nutrition. On the recommendation of the National Urban and Community Forestry
Advisory Council, the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program
awarded a $53,200 grant to the $108,850 project. For further information, contact
Tom Guthrie, Michigan Integrated Food & Farming Systems, P.O. Box 4903,
East Lansing, MI 48826. Phone: (517) 432-0712. E-mail: muffs@pilot.msu.edu.
National Urban and Community
Forestry Research and Technology Transfer Assessment.
(1999 National U&CF Research Assessment Project)
The International Society of Arboriculture Research Trust proposes to coordinate
an assessment of current and past urban and community forestry research and
technology transfer and update the national research agenda in urban forestry
through a research and technology “summit.” A small advisory committee will
coordinate the progress assessment. Information from the assessment will set
the stage for the national Summit with participants from approximately 20 or
more organizations. Results from the Summit will be compiled and distributed
through print and Internet media with funding recommendations for research in
the areas identified. On the recommendation of the National Urban and Community
Forestry Advisory Council, the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry
Program awarded a $125,200 grant to the $250,400 project. For further information,
contact John Geissal, ISA Research Trust, P.O. Box 3129, Champaign, IL 61826-3129.
Phone: (217) 355-9411. E-mail: jgeissal@isa-arbor.com.
The International Society of Arboriculture Research Trust’s web page can be
found at http://isa-arbor.com.
Tree City USA Bulletins
(2000 Education, Communication, and Outreach Project)
There is a need to provide additional information to the public about using
trees to strengthen and enhance our environment. The Foundation works collaboratively
with urban forest coordinators and others to achieve this goal. A 1998 survey
of coordinators in each state and Washington, D.C. (92% response rate) indicated
that 91% of respondents frequently use Tree City USA Bulletins. Keeping bulletin
topics up-to-date was considered very important. Sixty-eight percent of the
Urban Forestry Coordinators identified the need for additional bulletins and
identified topics. The purpose of this request is for partial funding to publish
five new Tree City USA bulletins. On the recommendation of the National Urban
and Community Forestry Advisory Council, the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community
Forestry Program awarded $57,147 grant to the $125,400 project. For further
information, contact Mary Yager, The National Arbor Day Foundation, 211 N. 12th
Street, Lincoln, NE 68508. Phone: (402) 474-5655 x 206. E-mail: myager@arborday.org.
Healing Nature: The Psychological, Social,
and Spiritual Effects of Nature in the Hospice Care Environment.
(2000 Research & Technology Development Project)
A three-phased study will explore how urban forests and other green spaces in
long-term care facilities can enhance the quality of life and the process of
dying for those with, and those caring for persons diagnosed with, terminal
illnesses. The study will specifically investigate how these environments are
used and how they are related to the psychological well-being of their users.
The study will examine these impacts on three user groups: (1) facility residents,
with a special emphasis on hospice patients, (2) facility staff (i.e., care-providers),
and (3) residents’ family members. In addition, the study will explore the
relative benefits of different types of green spaces and generate design guidelines
for effective healing green spaces. On the recommendation of the National Urban
and Community Forestry Advisory Council, the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community
Forestry Program awarded a $110,297 grant to the $274,951 project. For further
information, contact Daniel Winterbottom, University of Washington, Dept. of
Landscape Architecture, Box 355734, Seattle, WA 98195-5734. Phone: (206) 616-1876.
E-mail: nina@u.washington.edu.
Electronic Media Tutorial Programs
to Improve Urban Tree Establishment and Maintenance
(2000 Education, Communication, and Outreach Project)
Scope: The objective of this project is to develop, produce, and distribute
nationally, a series of tutorial electronic media programs with information
and training examples about basic urban tree establishment and maintenance techniques.
World Wide Web page formats with national links, videos and videodisks suitable
for television and/or cable programming, and compact disk and zip disks for
computer assisted learning will be prepared especially for training tree service
practitioners, municipalities and Master Gardeners in training. The main message
of the programs is that trees are valuable assets in the urban and residential
landscape, but that specific selection, planting
and maintenance techniques are needed to ensure successful establishment.
Although most of these techniques are simple, they are not well known in the
tree service industry (including extension agents and landscape architects)
because they are relatively new. Unfortunately, this means that earlier references
and recommendations are now out of date. This project will provide a variety
of up-to-date tutorial programs that address two specific priorities of the
Council: Information, communication, and the dissemination of technological
knowledge to strengthen urban forestry programs and empower communities to improve
their urban forests; educating people to empower them to develop and preserve
healthy urban landscape trees by demonstrating selection, planting and maintenance
procedures to ensure successful establishment of young trees, and by demonstrating
proper pruning of mature trees. On the recommendation of the National Urban
and Community Forestry Advisory Council, the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community
Forestry Program awarded a $78,754 grant to the $157,508 project. For further
information, contact Douglas L. Airhart, Tennessee Technological University,
School of Architecture, P.O. .Box 5034, Cookeville, TN 38505. Phone: (931)-3288.
E-mail: dairhart@tntech.edu.
Trees2K
(2000 Education, Communication, and Outreach Project)
Shreveport Green hopes to produce and disseminate a CD-Rom game to educate elementary
and middle school youth on a national level
on the value of urban forestry. We feel that a CD-Rom game offers a fresh and
contemporary approach toward targeting youth. The game will be disseminated
locally via three major resources: 1) the school system, 2) the city’s mobile
environmental trailer, and 3) Sci-Port Discovery Center, Shreveport’s state-of-the-art
educational center. The game will be disseminated nationally via our partners
as well as other nonprofit state organizations and agencies. On the recommendation
of the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council, the USDA Forest
Service Urban and Community Forestry Program awarded a $20,000 grant to the
$66,000 project. For further information, contact Kristen Mears, Shreveport
Green, 3625 Southern Avenue, Shreveport, LA 71104. Phone: (318) 219-1888.
E-mail: kmears@shreveportgreen.org.
Tree Conservation and Sustainable
Landscaping for Habitat for Humanity Homes
(2000 Education, Communication, and Outreach) Through a strategic alliance,
the National Wildlife Federation is creating a Tree Conservation and Sustainable
Landscaping Tool Kit for Habitat for Humanity International (HFH), one of the
world’s largest homebuilders. The Tool Kit, a published manual, will facilitate
the incorporation of environmental evaluation and planning into the siting and
landscaping decisions that are made at HFH sites. The Tool Kit will be used
by HFH volunteers, homeowners, and partners, in particular the National Council
of State Garden clubs, a non-profit organization of 8,488 garden clubs nationwide.
The Tool Kit will be an informative resource, emphasizing the conservation of
trees and other natural vegetation and the role sustainable landscaping plays
in energy, water, and habitat conservation. On the recommendation of the National
Urban and Community Forestry advisory Council, the USDA Forest Service Urban
and Community Forestry Program awarded a $33,250 grant to the $91,500 project.
For further information, contact David Mizejewski, National Wildlife Federation,
11100 Wildlife Center Drive, Reston, VA 20190-5362. Phone: (703) 438-6499.
E-mail: mizejewski@nwf.org.
Feasibility of Planting Small,
Bare Root Trees in Select Locations as an Alternative to Typical Community Tree
Ordinance Planting Requirements
(2000 Research & Technology Development Project)
Many ordinances require planted trees on commercial properties to be 2 inches
caliper B&B. Inflexible requirements often taxes budgets and lack of maintenance
results in a high percentage of trees dying within a few years. The objective
of this project is to compare the purchasing/transplanting costs, growth rates,
survivability, and degree of vandalism of 2.0-inch caliper B&B trees to
those of 0.75-inch bare root trees installed in two highly-used public sites.
The secondary objective is to demonstrate that smaller trees along with appropriate
maintenance practices will enhance the desired community goal of increased canopy
cover while enabling communities with small budgets to implement similar programs.
On the recommendation of the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory
Council, the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program awarded
a $15,750 grant to the $36,230 project. For further information, contact Donald
L. Ham, Clemson University, Department of Forest Resources, 272 Lehotsky Hall,
Box 0331, Clemson, SC 29634-0331. Phone: (864) 656-2480. E-mail: dham@clemson.edu.
Using Community-Based Urban Forestry to Create
New Jobs for Lower-Income Urban Residents: A National Demonstration Project
in Washington, DC
(2000 Creative and Innovative Project)
This project directly addresses the economic needs of lower-income residents
of two of Washington, D.C.’s disadvantaged neighborhoods. It will train and
place residents in green jobs, build local businesses, green neighborhoods,
and strengthen communities through a national urban forestry demonstration initiative.
Located in the heart of the nation’s capitol, Community Resources’ D.C. Greening
– Green Jobs project will have widespread exposure as an urban forestry initiative
of national significance. A planning grant from the Ford Foundation (their
first urban forestry grant) has already been received. We expect this project
will lead to other new sources of funding for urban community forestry from
public agencies, private foundations, and private corporations who fund economic
development, but not forestry activities. Our project findings, methods, and
lessons will be widely disseminated through our web page, project reports, fact
sheets, press releases, articles and presentations. On the recommendation of
the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council, the USDA Forest
Service Urban and Community Forestry Program awarded a $85,000 grant to the
$200,500 project. For further information, contact Mike McConnell, Community
Resources, Inc., 4900 Wetheredsville Road, 1D, Baltimore, MD 21207. Phone:
(410) 448-4900 E-mail: mike@communityresources.org.
The Impact of Urban Forests on Elderly People
in Long Term Settings: A Multicultural Perspective
(2000 Research & Technology Development Project)
Literature in geronotology indicates that problems such as depression and loneliness
contribute to elderly people’s diminished health. Yet these problems are frequently
treated with medication which further aggravates health. Research indicates
that exposure to, and experience with nature (e.g., trees, plants) reduces levels
of depression and loneliness. The objective of this study is to examine the
influence of interaction with urban forests, particularly nature-related activities,
on health out-comes of two elderly institutionalized groups –Spanish-speaking
Hispanic immigrants, and English-speaking non-Hispanic Whites. The resulting
analysis will contribute to health-promoting interventions that integrate urban
forests in long-term settings for a growing multicultural population. On the
recommendation of the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council,
the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program awarded a $23,214
grant to the $47,323 project. For further information, contact Uriel Cohen,
University of Wisconsin, Institute on Aging and Environment, School of Architecture
and Urban Planning, P.O. Box 413, Milwaukee, WI 53201-0413. Phone: (414)
229-6481. E-mail: uriel@uwm.edu.
Holding Water and Creating
Forested Parks in East New York: Cleaning the Waters of Jamaica Bay
(2000 Creative and Innovative Project)
While communities across our country face problems managing stormwater, wetlands,
forests and other native species habitats continue to disappear under expanded
construction and paving. By incorporating forested areas with urban stormwater
treatment systems, this project seeks to link these problems with a holistic
solution, providing green spaces and wildlife habitat through the creation of
wetland gardens and soil buffers. Constructed in urban neighborhoods, treated
stormwater runoff will be absorbed and conserved to recharge groundwater. On
the recommendation of the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council,
the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program awarded a $67,050
grant to the $166,500 project. For further information, contact Paul S. Mankiewicz,
The Gaia Institute, 99 Bay Street, City Island, NY 10464. Phone: (718) 885-1906.
E-mail: gaiainst@aol.com.
Catastrophic Loss of Tree Canopy
as an Opportunity to Study the Effect of Trees on Energy Use
(2000 Research & Technology Development Project)
Trees can help save residential heating and cooling costs while sequestering
carbon and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The extent of these benefits
is regionally dependent and more data is needed to support effective management
of urban trees for energy conservation. The objective of this project is to
document changes in heating and cooling energy use after the loss of a significant
percentage of a community’s tree cover due to a catastrophic event, such as
an ice storm. These events result in an abrupt change in tree density allowing
before-and-after comparisons of energy use in a large population of home. On
the recommendation of the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council,
the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program awarded a $23,780
grant to the $47,560 project. For further information, contact R. J. Laverne,
The Davey Resources Group, 1500 North Mantua Street, Kent, OH 44240-5193. Phone:
(330) 673-9511 ext. 346. E-mail: rjlaverne@davey.com.
Reducing Urban Crime: A Multi-city Assessment
of the Benefits of Urban Forests
(2000 Research & technology Development Project)
Although the urban forest has occasionally been blamed for encouraging crime,
new evidence from inner-city neighborhoods suggests that residents may be safer andfewer crimes may be committed in areas where the urban
forest is dense and healthy. The purpose of this project is to 1) examine whether
urban forests reduce Property crime, Violent crime, and Total crimes in urban
neighborhoods; 2) disseminate the results to policy-makers, foresters, scientists,
and the public; and 3) build new partnerships in support of urban forestry.
This research will be carried out in multiple neighborhoods in cities such as
New York, Chicago, and Houston. The University of Illinois, U.S. Department
of Housing and Urban Development, and the National Institute of Justice are
partners in this project. On the recommendation of the National Urban and Community
Forestry Advisory Council, the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry
Program awarded a $125,330 grant to the $328,265 project. For further information,
contact William C. Sullivan, University of Illinois, Department of Natural Resources
& Environmental Sciences, 1103 S. Dorner Drive, Urbana, IL 61801. Phone:
(217) 244-5156. E-mail: wcsulliv@uiuc.edu.
The Healing Power of the Urban
Forest: Impacts on ADHD
(2000 Research & Technology Development Project)
Preliminary research suggests that the “everyday” urban forest may play a pivotal,
healing role in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. ADHD is a crippling
biological disorder afflicting 5-7% of all school-age children and 2-5 million
adult Americans. Initial findings indicate that ADHD symptoms disappear or
substantially lessen after activities in “green” settings. We propose (1) to
conduct a nationwide study documenting the ways in which green neighborhoods,
green schools, and green parks and recreation areas help heal ADHD children:
(2) to disseminate the findings to policymakers, the public, and other audiences;
and (3) to leverage the findings for future support from the Department of Education,
Department of Health and Human Services, and NIMH. On the recommendation of
the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council, the USDA Forest
Service Urban and Community Forestry Program awarded a $145,604 grant to the
$393,942 project. For further information, contact Frances E. Kuo, University
of Illinois, 1103 S. Dorner Drive, Urbana, IL 61801. Phone: (217) 244-0393.
E-mail: f-kuo@uiuc.edu.
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