Urban Forest Management

Catalog description

Nature's role in community development, landscapes, arboriculture, administering urban forestry programs, land-use planning and regulatory policy, open-space conservation, civic environmentalism. The purpose of this course is to provide a broad exploration of planning for and managing trees and natural landscapes to support development of community. Healthy natural resources such as air, water, soil, and vegetation are critical components of community development. Students will explore arboriculture practices, goal-oriented urban forest management, land use planning and regulatory policy, and civic environmentalism. They will learn about ecosystem services of trees and landscapes; arboricultural practices including tree planting in urban areas, tree pruning, tree risk assessment, and amenity tree valuation; policy development and analysis including street tree ordinances and municipal tree commissions; street and park tree assessments and inventories; development of community tree plans and goal oriented urban forest management; land use planning and regulatory policy to conserve natural resources including zoning, subdivision and land development ordinances, comprehensive plans, and open space conservation; civic environmentalism and volunteerism; and conflict resolution. This course will provide students a practical understanding of planning for, and managing, trees and other natural resources associated with human communities.