Valuing Urban Forests

Science, Application, and Action

Conference at Arlington County's
Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs

September 23, 2010 - Public Meeting 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

September 24, 2010 - Day Conference 10:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Municipalities are steadily improving their ability to manage urban forests, but much work remains. Air and water quality protection, energy conservation, noise abatement, and local products are but a few of the benefits of urban forest stewardship. In recent years, scientists have made significant strides in developing urban forest assessment and decision-making tools that help managers and local leaders achieve these and other objectives. These meetings will cover the state of urban forest assessment science and application, and provide testimonials and demonstrations regarding research and implementation in the mid-Atlantic region and beyond.

Speakers include

• Dr. David Nowak is a US Forest Service Research Scientist and a leading world expert in urban forest valuation and management. Dr. Nowak will discuss the state of urban forest assessment science and provide an update on the suite of I-tree assessment applications he and others have developed.

  • Presentation
    
    
• Mr. Jonathan Pywell is Senior Forester - Manhattan at The Olmsted Center Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Flushing, New York, and coordinator of the Million Tree Program.
  
  
  • Public Meeting Presentation
  • Day Meeting Presentation

• Ms. Cindy Musick is past chair of the Maryland Urban Forest Council and PhD student in Virginia Tech’s Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation. Ms. Musick will describe her research project, which focuses on urban tree planting and human dimensions of canopy coverage in Arlington County.
  
  
  • Presentation
    
    
• Dr. Eric Wiseman is an assistant professor of urban forestry and arboriculture in Virginia Tech’s Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation and will lead a demonstration of urban forest assessment and valuation.
  
  
  • Presentation

A public meeting will be held at Arlington County’s Department of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources on Thursday evening September 23rd. Registration is free. The following day, September 24th, a conference will occur at the same location. Registration is $30.

Who Should Attend?

Community Leaders, Planners, and Landscape Architects

What are the challenges and opportunities of monitoring and management in urban forests? Are the costs worth the benefits? What technology is available and how does one plan for and initiate a project?

Urban Foresters, Arborists, and Park Managers

What role can urban foresters, arborists and vegetation managers play in urban forest stewardship?  What types of equipment and contracting are required? What is known about implementation strategies that lead to long-term success?

Developers and Builders

How can urban forest assessment become part of successful and sustainable landscape development?  How can the latest technology and tools be used to avoid or mitigate challenges at the outset of a project?

Homeowners and Concerned Citizens

What are the downsides and upsides to urban forest management? How are properties impacted? How can they benefit? What do these projects provide to the public and is it worth it?

Details

Public Meeting

Location: Arlington, VA –Department of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources, Large Conference Room, 2700 S. Taylor St. (Parks and Natural Resources building) – Directions
Date & Time: September 23, 2010, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.
Registration: Free (no deadline)
Refreshments Provided
Agenda
Register

Day Conference

Location: Arlington, VA –Department of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources, Large Conference Room, 2700 S. Taylor St. (Parks and Natural Resources building) – Directions
Date & Time: September 24, 2010
Registration: $30.00 per person. Registration deadline is September 22, 2010.
Lunch and Refreshments Provided
Agenda
Register

For additional information, contact: 

John Munsell
Forest Management Extension Specialist
Virginia Tech Department of Forest Resources
and Environmental Conservation
(540) 231-1611     
jfmunsel@vt.edu

Continuing Education:

SAF Credits:

• 4 hours Category 1-CF

ISA Credits:

• 4.25 Certified Arborists
• 4.25 Municipal Specialist
• 1 BCMA-Science
• 3.25 BCMA-Management

Program Sponsors and Contributors:

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