Training
The training material presented at the New Jersey Shade Tree Federation's 2014 meeting is also available for review, as is a list of links to useful websites. See the Resources tab.
In order to properly construct an inventory of your street trees you will need to determine what variables you would like to include when out collecting your data. If you have not yet thought about this now would be a good time to check out our reporting section where we cover creating goals and setting up data sheets.
If you are just trying to complete a basic inventory it is recommended that you include the following variables.
Location: Where is the tree located geographically?
Genus: What genus does the tree belong to? If you are confident in your tree identification ability feel free to include the species name as well.
Diameter: What is the diameter of the tree? Trees are generally measured at 4.5 feet (1.37 meters) above ground level, often referred to as DBH (Diameter at Breast Height)
Condition: What is the overall condition of the tree?
Professional Attention: Does the tree appear to need to be looked at by a tree care professional?
Vacant Planning Sites: Is there an empty spot where a tree could be planted?
Using this small data-set you can create an inventory that will allow you to start creating a master plan for managing your urban forest to maximize the benefits it provides for your community. A worksheet to help chart you ideas is available here.
If you are just trying to complete a basic inventory it is recommended that you include the following variables.
Location: Where is the tree located geographically?
Genus: What genus does the tree belong to? If you are confident in your tree identification ability feel free to include the species name as well.
Diameter: What is the diameter of the tree? Trees are generally measured at 4.5 feet (1.37 meters) above ground level, often referred to as DBH (Diameter at Breast Height)
Condition: What is the overall condition of the tree?
Professional Attention: Does the tree appear to need to be looked at by a tree care professional?
Vacant Planning Sites: Is there an empty spot where a tree could be planted?
Using this small data-set you can create an inventory that will allow you to start creating a master plan for managing your urban forest to maximize the benefits it provides for your community. A worksheet to help chart you ideas is available here.