Publications & Documents

The Hamamelidaceae has genera with named cultivars, but only one cultivar registration authority for the genus Hamamelis. Choosing the Hamamelidaceae as the focus of this project provides missing information for members of this ornamentally valuable family and highlights lesser known species. As with all theses this thesis is a stepping-stone in scientific endeavors and is meant to consolidate previous research on the family and connect it with future research endeavors.

Trees planted in cities face many survival challenges, but when they thrive they make our cities healthier, less hot, and more beautiful. Historically, professionals have planted the same familiar trees over and over in cities since they are a safe bet, which results in a vulnerable, low diversity urban forest. To add new tree species to the urban forest, especially in the face of climate change, we need to understand what characteristics make the best trees and how professionals balance conflicting selection criteria.

Ice or snow loads can cause branch breakage or failure of entire trees and shrubs. Branches or entire trees that fall in storms can impact homes, vehicles, power lines and block roads. After a storm, the first priorities are safety and restoration of services. Next, the long-term health of trees and shrubs should be considered shortly after the storm. The following steps are recommended: assess damage, prune, fertilize, and pest management.

The North Carolina Botanical Center has created a step-by-step guide on how to plan for a low-waste event. This is an example of a policy that ensures garden staff plan events with sustainability in mind. It contains a checklist and tips for garden events. 

This is an example from Denver Botanic Gardens of a Material Transfer Agreement:
Living Collections Access and Distribution Form. 

This project offers a blueprint for the ideal level of maintenance needed to keep this area of the garden aesthetically pleasing and well -kept into the future. Landscape management plans from other public gardens demonstrated a range of approaches and highlighted effective techniques that could be incorporated into a plan for the Intern House and Hillcrest Building. The landscape management plan task list weaves in the specifics of the site and includes responsibilities (e.g. string trimming gates and clearing leaves) that may be carried out throughout the season.

The primary goal of a Collection Development Plan is to guide the growth of a plant collection in meaningful, strategic, and measurable directions. Development plans are unique for each institution and should be tailored in a way that best suits the needs and goals for each specific collection. This Collection Development Planning Guide poses a series of considerations as a starting point for assessing, planning, and goal setting for each plant collection.

This document is a concise resource considering the background, current status, and future development goals of the Forsythia Collection at the Arnold Arboretum. A bibliography of the references used and appendices covering collections representation (Appendix 1), landscape locations (Appendix 2), taxonomy (Appendix 3), and cultivation (Appendix 4) are also included.