Science of Arboriculture

More than two years after Super Storm Sandy pounded the east coast of the U.S., recovery efforts are still on-going. Including efforts to bring the rural and urban forests back from incredible storm damage. Join David Johnson of Asplund Tree Expert Company as he looks at the damage done, and recovery attempts made in the hardest hit areas. (A,U,M,T,L,Bs)

One of the unseen benefits an urban forest brings to a community is storm water management. A healthy diversified urban forest can extend the life of a cities gray infrastructure over decades. Dr. Peter MacDonagh looks at the incredible job trees perform in handling storm runoff in a city. (A,U,M,T,L,Bs)

Dr. Alexia Stokes discusses the many external stressors that affect a tree’s growth and mechanical stability, and how trees naturally adapt themselves to thrive in different environments (A,U,M,T,L,Bs)

Urban trees have a substantially shortened life span due to a number of problems, not the least of which is limited access to uncompacted, aerated, fertile soil. The average 4’ X 4’ X 4’ tree pit has less than one tenth the rooting volume needed. L. Peter MacDonagh of Kestrel Design Group, discusses examples of minimum soil volume policies that give arborists the leverage they need to provide trees with adequate useable soil volume. (A,U,M,T,L,Bm)

As solar energy gains an increasing presence in the developing world, the arboricultural industry has a key opportunity to work hand in hand with installers in both pruning strategies and tree selection. Dan Staley discusses solar smart strategies for today’s urban arborist.(A,U,M,T,L,Bp)

Dr. Alessio Fini of Florence University explains his study into the growth, physiology, and uprooting resistance change experienced by two Urban tree species with different levels of root severance. 96 pre-planted trees were studied over two growing seasons to track the results (A,U,M,T,L,Bs)

Green cities are more livable cities, and yet the urban natural resources, and the means we have to manage them, are diminishing. Dr. Weston Brinkley takes a look at a current set of integrated Urban Forest Assessments looking for answers in today’s land management stewardship.(A,U,M,T,L,Bs)

How much soil is enough for a healthy tree? That question has plagued urban foresters for years when planning urban tree planting programs. Nina Bassuk, Ph.D. professor from Cornell University looks at new techniques and new technology being employed in the search for answers. (A,U,T,M,L,Bm)

Biochar, a waste product from the anaerobic heating of biomass, has tremendous potential as a soil amendment for urban soils. Dr. Kelby Fite from the Bartlett Tree Research Laboratory, presents research data on this re-use of waste materiel improving urban soils. (A,U,M,T,L,Bs)

Joris Veoten discusses a completely new structural soil for trees in the urban environment, made from recycled glass and recycled organic material. Experiments have shown Re-Soil maintains structural function and tree growth potential even when installed under pavement. (A,U,M,T,L,Bm)

Dr. Zhu Ning discusses a recent study on the effects of elevated carbon dioxide levels on urban trees. Listen to this episode of Science of Arboriculture to learn more about the physiological processes of photosynthesis, transpiration, and stomatal conductance in Southern red oak and red maple. (A,U,M,T,L,Bs)

Arborists are industrial athletes, challenged every day to keep their bodies operating at peak performance to do their job. Amanda Carpenter and Jessica Skiera discuss how nutrition, hydration, and sleep can help or impair an arborist’s performance.

Alessandro Pestalozza was inspired to study the effects a previous branch failure has on its wind resistance after a fatal injury occurred on a busy street in Italy. Learn about how tree fibers respond to the extreme tension exerted by static pull tests in this effort to make our urban forest a safer place.

Tree canopy assessments provide a better understanding of the urban forest than conducting an inventory, because these assessments include trees on private property. Williams discusses the change of canopy cover in Portland, Oregon, based on the results of her 10-year canopy study.

Henry King discusses the principles of effective project management as a vegetation management contractor. Learn how to communicate across disciplines and execute a plan.