Tree Inventory Volunteer Training Manual
Tree inventories can be used to implement community forest management strategies including tree care and maintenance, budgeting, and preservation of green infrastructure. However, many communities lack the resources necessary to commission an inventory.
This 86-page "Volunteer Training Manual" was prepared by the USDA Forest Service Northeast Center for Urban & Community Forestry for use in training community volunteers to conduct street and park tree inventories. Volunteer-conducted tree inventories may prove beneficial for communities that lack resources or a local non-profit capable of completing an inventory for them. However, the services of a local arborist are recommended to ensure accuracy and verify that the referenced tree species are specific to your region.
The manual is designed in a template format that can be modified to suit local needs. Material is covered in four sections: Background Information; Tree Characteristics; Tree identification; and Tree Survey. Although written for communities in the Northeastern United States, this manual provides an excellent framework for a volunteer-based tree inventory program that can be easily modified for other areas of the country.
The system of land, natural resources, and natural habitats that collectively comprise a community's underlying ecosystem. Green Infrastructure is present in every city, although its size, diversity, and strength vary greatly. Importantly, green infrastructure can be used to help offset negative environmental impacts, for example stormwater runoff and urban heat island effect.
