Presentation

Natural disasters cause significant damage each year to our urban forests, and years of local investment in planting and caring for community trees can be suddenly wiped away. We know that urban forest and community resilience can be improved by using best practices in planning, response and recovery. The questions we seek to answer through this special webinar event are: how can we rapidly assess storm damage and what are the lessons learned in mobilizing an effective response and long-term recovery effort? 

The term “urban forest” is often used to refer to all the trees within a city or town. But the urban forest is part of a much larger social-ecological landscape that supports a complex web of biodiversity, ecosystem services, values, and cultures.  The people and organizations responsible for stewarding these landscapes often must draw upon science and foster conversations with a wide range of stakeholders that integrate these far-reaching considerations and complexity, yet still make decisions in hopes of improving outcomes. 

Hear from a diverse panel on how to use inclusive interpretation of gardens and historic landscapes to reach a broader audience.

Panelists include Shaun Spencer-Hester of the Anne Spencer House & Garden Museum, Lynchburg, VA; Peggy Cornett of Thomas Jefferson's Monticello, Charlottesville, VA; Sara Gordon of Sylvester Manor Educational Farm, Shelter Island, NY.

Moderated by Pamela Governale and Anne Welles, Garden Conservancy preservation staff.

Diverse perspectives and approaches to learning and knowing can strengthen our work in urban and community forestry. Indigenous and local knowledge is embedded in the concept of biocultural stewardship - an approach to working with communities recognizing that the stewardship of place is inseparable from the stewardship of people, and that cultural resources are as important as natural resources. A shift towards biocultural stewardship can help cultivate sustainability and well-being in communities undergoing rapid environmental, social, and climate changes.

How do you create that perfect combination of interpretive vehicles to reach your various audiences? Our panelists explore the right mix of brochures, QR codes, signage, apps, and other tools to connect our visitors to our beautiful garden spaces. Explore expectations for each interpretive tool as well as the target audiences and driving factors for selecting these tools for your garden. Hear from gardens in different geographic settings and about the process, challenges, and benefits of developing interpretive tools for diverse audiences.

Boxwoods: The Good, the Bad, and the Alternatives

Andrew discussed the ever evolving soap opera of the Boxwood World. Andrew will begin with a rough outline of the pests and pathogens that are plaguing this landscape staple and end with a few alternative plant species to diversify your landscape.

Speaker: Andrew L. Loyd, PhD, Plant Pathologist at Bartlett Tree Experts, Bartlett Tree
Research Lab

To keep pace with the increasing impacts of climate change, people across the country are planting more and more trees. But how will you track these trees to make sure you get the optimal return on this investment of time and resources? Join us for a presentation and demonstration of Healthy Trees, Healthy Cities (HTHC), a free app and suite of resources developed in partnership by The Nature Conservancy and the USDA Forest Service. Drs.

Join others in learning about the high diversity of plant species characteristics of the longleaf pine ecosystem and how it supports the many common and unique wildlife species in these open forests dominated by a single tree. Participants will also learn how to maximize wildlife management goals through active management of early successional plant communities. Commonly referred to as early successional habitat, these plant communities benefit a vast array of wildlife species including the northern bobwhite quail, monarch butterfly, and red-cockaded woodpecker.

A strong interpretive theme statement provides a clear big idea and the "so what" message that can help deepen visitor experience. Interpretive themes are typically used for signage projects and programming, but they can be used for so much more. In this session, we will explore a case study of how a garden used an interpretive theme statement to implement their annual theme project titled "Come to Your Senses" in marketing, horticultural displays, events, and programs.

Presenters:

Jennifer Dick, RBG Ontario

Pamela Murray, Milner Gardens

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 consis