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Introduction to Special Issue: Development,
Structure, and Sustainability of Sacramento's Urban Forest (Part I)
by Robert W. Miller, Editor
Abstract. This special issue of the Journal of Arboriculture contains a series of papers that summarize the results of an extensive study of the development, structure, and sustainability of the Sacramento, California, urban forest. Scientists from the USDA Forest Service, University of California, and the private sector collaborated on a series of research projects to provide an in-depth analysis of the Sacramento area from an ecosystem perspective utilizing the physical, biological, and social science disciplines. As is policy for the Journal, each paper was sent to two members of the Editorial Committee; publication was based on their review and recommendations. A second issue later this year will include the remainder of the papers from this project.
Historically, the Journal has published papers from a variety of disciplines
on a variety of topics in each issue, so this is a departure from the norm.
However, it is unusual to have a series of papers that are as interrelated
as these; thus, the Editorial Committee felt it was appropriate to place
them all in two issues.
Urban Forest Ecology: Conceptual
Points of Departure
by Rowan A. Rowntree
Abstract. The ecological view in urban forestry evolved from
diverse roots beginning over 100 years ago and is currently expressed in
formal programs of research and practice. Among the most useful concepts
in urban forest ecology are structure, function, diversity, dominance,
mosaic-gradients, and ecosystems. These concepts assist in understanding
changes in ecological states that produce changes in the distribution of
benefits and costs. The ecological history of urban forestry provides these
concepts as points of departure for two special issues of the Journal
of Arboriculture devoted to the Sacramento urban forest ecosystem.
From Nature to Nurture: The
History of Sacramento's Urban Forest
by E. Gregory McPherson and Nina Luttinger
Abstract. Over the course of 150 years, a combination of cultural
and natural processes drove Sacramento's transition from City of the Plains
to the City of Trees. This paper describes how the many authors of Sacramento's
treescape have affected the health, management, and public perception of
the city's trees. Local government directed early street and park tree
plantings and banned problem tree species by ordinance. During the first
half of the 20th century, participation in street tree planting and preservation
by groups such as the Chamber of Commerce, Boy Scouts, Science Teachers
Association, and "tree enthusiasts" raised public awareness and civic pride.
The large trees shading city streets became a community icon, frequently
described as the "crowning jewel of Sacramento." More recently, concern
about street tree health associated with declining funds for municipal
tree care has spawned new partnerships that involve trained volunteers
in Dutch elm disease control, residents in energy-conserving yard tree
planting, and a public task force in developing policy recommendations
to perpetuate Sacramento's legacy as the City of Trees.
Residential Tree Planting and
Care: A Study of Attitudes and Behavior in Sacramento, California
by Joshua Summit and E. Gregory McPherson
Abstract. Site surveys were conducted on residential properties
in Sacramento, California, and residents were given questionnaires about
whether they had added trees to their properties, their motivations for
planting trees, and the extent and frequency of their maintenance of the
trees on their properties. These surveys indicate that most residents (68%
of the sample) plant trees on their properties; that residential areas
are relatively densely planted (with room for about 9% more trees than
are already in place); that issues of comfort (shade) and appearance play
more of a role in the decision to plant trees than do concerns about energy
savings, environmental benefit, or privacy; that tree planting tends to
be greatest early in a resident's tenure in a home; and that convenience
is a strong predictor of the types of tree maintenance provided by residents
relative to that provided by contractors.
Comparison of Five Methods for Estimating
Leaf Area Index of Open-Grown Deciduous Trees
by Paula J. Peper and E. Gregory McPherson
Abstract. We compared the accuracy of five methods used to estimate
leaf area index (LAI) of eight open-grown deciduous trees, including six
white mulberries (Morus alba) and two black cherries (Prunus
serotina var. rufula). The methods included the use of four instruments
(AccuPAR Ceptometer, CI-100 Plant Canopy Analyzer, image processing with
the AgVision System, LI-COR LAI-2000 Plant Canopy Analyzer) and the application
of a logarithmic regression equation. The image processing method demonstrated
the highest probability of accurately estimating LAI (P = 0.99). However,
all methods showed bias toward returning LAI estimates that did not increase
as actual LAI increased when the mulberry tree data were examined separately
from the cherry data. Additional research is necessary to determine whether
this bias is real or merely a function of the limited sample size.
A Model of Urban Forest Sustainability:
Application to Cities in the United States
by James R. Clark and Nelda P. Matheny
Abstract. The applicability of a model for urban forest sustainability
was evaluated through a written survey. The model considers the character
of the vegetation resource, community awareness of, and attitudes about,
urban forests, and the management programs for the resource. Results from
25 U.S. cities were evaluated using the 20 criteria and four levels of
performance found in the model. Although surveys were sent directly to
mayors, urban forestry professionals completed the questionnaires. The
average score for responding cities was 48.8, out of a maximum score of
80. The range in scores was 27 to 61. Criteria of sustainability with highest
overall scores dealt with awareness of trees as a community resource and
neighborhood action; the lowest scores involved the participation of private
landholders in urban forest management and regional cooperation.