Florida Tree Steward Program Manual
Tree steward programs promote public awareness of the benefits community trees provide , including cleaner air and water, cooler summer temperatures and greenspace wellness benefits With the launch of its Florida Tree Steward Program, the UF/IFAS Urban Forestry Extension Council (UFEC) plans to add Florida to the list of States nationwide, offering tree steward programs which will help to bolster local canopy conservation and expansion efforts.
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Chapter 1: Introduction
Introduction
Canopy loss in urban and suburban areas continues to occur at an alarming rate. The Treejuvenation Florida Tree Steward program is a 12-module curriculum focused on empowering community members with knowledge on the benefits of trees, including improved physical and mental wellness, cooler summer temperatures and reduced heat island effects, as well as improved air and water quality. Upon completion of the Treejuvenation curriculum, Florida Tree Stewards support local canopy conservation efforts by increasing awareness of how tree assets contribute to improving a community’s quality of life, and how these assets can be wisely managed.
Additional Resources Available:
- Chapter 2: Why Trees Matter?
- Chapter 3: How Trees Work
- Chapter 4: How Palms Work
- Chapter 5: Tree ID
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Chapter 6: Tree Planting – Site Assessment
Tree Planting – Site Assessment
- Describe the role of soils (urban soils vs un-disturbed soils) in site assessment for tree planting
- Explain how environmental factors including temperature and precipitation, soil drainage, proximity to overhead/underground infrastructure and surrounding built environments, influence tree planting site assessment
Additional Resources Available:
- Chapter 7: Planting and Establishing Trees
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Chapter 8: Tree Species Selection
Tree Species Selection
- Outline the factors to consider in tree selection
- Explain the contrast between native vs. non-native tree species selection
- Describe the importance of right plant, right place in tree species selection
- Describe the importance of right plant, right place in tree species selection
Additional Resources Available:
- Chapter 9: Pruning
- Chapter 10: Trees – Storms and Recovery
- Chapter 11: Tree Ordinances
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Chapter 12: Get Involved – Florida Tree Steward Activities
Get Involved – Florida Tree Steward Activities
i-Tree, Cataloging trees (Open TreeMap), Tree Inventories, i-Naturalists
- Tree ID Resources
- Whom to contact – local urban forestry resources
- Professional Certifications (ISA, FNGLA, GIBMP)- what they are and why they are important to professionals
- Tree Advisory Committees
- Local tree planting events
Additional Resources Available:
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Resources
Resources
- Community leaders' perceptions of urban forests in Hillsborough county, Florida
- How to identify a tree
- How trees grow in the urban environment
- Planting and Establishing Trees
- Pruning shade trees
- Soil compaction in urban landscapes
- Trees: South Florida and the Keys: Trees Field Guidebook, Koeser, et al.
- Tree selection for urban and suburban sites
- Tree Selector
- UF/IFAS Urban Forestry Extension blog page
- UF/IFAS Urban Forestry Extension factsheets - Duval County
- UF/IFAS Urban Forestry Extension factsheet - Hillsborough County: Community Leaders' Perceptions of Urban Forests in Hillsborough County
- UF/IFAS Urban Forestry Extension factsheet - Tampa: City of Tampa Urban Ecological Analysis
- UF/IFAS Urban Forestry Extension - Urban Forest Management handbook
- Wood biology
