46 Nitoslawski and Konijnendijk: The Emergence of Smart Urban Forestry integrated into smart-city planning. It includes a range of contributions, geographically and thematically, at the intersection of technology, arboriculture, and urban forestry. Aerial and ground-based remote-sensing tools and techniques constitute a major focus. Chen et al. introduce a suite of survey and assessment techniques for roadside trees in Taiwan, integrating high-precision GIS-based instruments, LiDAR, radio frequency identification (RFID), and streetscape imagery. Lu et al. use aerial laser scanning approaches to model the provisioning of shade across the city of Vancouver (Canada), highlighting relationships between green- ery and urban form across multiple scales. Satellite imagery, coupled with historical aerial photos and maps, were used by Freeman-Day and Fischer to track urban forest patches on the Indiana University campus (USA) across a large time series, emphasiz- ing the potential to combine “low-” and “high-tech” tools in urban ecological monitoring. Pace et al. com- pare different field measurement systems, including smartphones with LiDAR capabilities, to quantify tree attributes, illustrating opportunities for small-scale, portable computers to characterize vegetation at finer scales. Beyond these specific techniques for urban forest monitoring and management, Staley discusses the state of knowledge on remote sensing and big data appli- cations for urban forestry, reflecting on scenarios and perspectives for access to and use of modern technol- ogy in highly connected cities. Plitt et al. examine the importance of digital tools (or “e-tools”) for commu- nity engagement and stewardship in New York City (USA), finding that hybrid approaches support diverse usership and promote data sharing at scale. Deak Sjöman et al. highlight a specific case study in “smar- tifying” public parks in Gothenburg (Sweden), intro- ducing a criteria-based framework to evaluate the Sustainable Smart Parks initiative. Finally, Rust and Stoinski leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to sup- port visual tree risk assessments, suggesting that this system could help standardize assessment practices. IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH AND PRACTICE The articles in this issue illustrate the potential for smart and digital technologies to enhance the provisioning of benefits from urban trees and forests, as well as contribute to public engagement and stewardship. Opportunities highlighted in this body of work include ©2022 International Society of Arboriculture automating more laborious and resource-intensive practices, combining different data sets in novel ways to answer complex questions, standardizing data col- lection and sharing, and enriching understandings of how technology can shape and mediate relationships between people and urban forests. It is entirely possi- ble that newer technologies, along with higher avail- able computing capacity, will in future support more continuous data collection, analysis, and sharing practices that can shed light on urban forest condition, function, uses and benefits, and management needs at increasingly finer scales. Nevertheless, research on technological applica- tions in arboriculture and urban forestry is still nascent. Future avenues for research could focus on practi- tioner and policymaker knowledge and perspectives about various technologies, and how they could change the nature of work in the field (Nitoslawski et al. 2021). Horizon scanning and forecasting tech- niques may help both technology and urban forestry experts understand science-policy-practice gaps and develop clearer pathways for technology innovation and uptake (Parker et al. 2014; Goddard et al. 2021). There is also concern about the environmental impacts of digital technologies, particularly in relation to car- bon emissions, energy consumption, and electronic waste (Bieser and Hilty 2018). It will therefore be worthwhile to consider how to mitigate the negative environmental impacts of technology adoption and identify avenues for more sustainable technology solutions (Linkov et al. 2018). Civic engagement and involvement are paramount; with growing interest in volunteered geographic information, citizen science initiatives, and augmented reality, there are ample opportunities to explore how smartphones and mobile applications can inform decisions about urban forest design and access, supported by data on public behaviour and values (Dorward et al. 2017; Foster et al. 2017; Rout et al. 2021). Although they represent many opportunities for advancing the field, current and emerging technolo- gies, tools, and techniques addressed in this issue are just one part of the urban ecosystem management toolbox. It will be just as critical to consider local and context-specific needs, access to data and computing resources, municipal expertise, and capacity for inno- vation. It will also be important to thoughtfully con- sider the varied impacts of technology uptake and to ensure that existing social and economic inequities in
March 2022
| Title Name |
Pages |
Delete |
Url |
| Empty |
Search Text Block
Page #page_num
#doc_title
Hi $receivername|$receiveremail,
$sendername|$senderemail wrote these comments for you:
$message
$sendername|$senderemail would like for you to view the following digital edition.
Please click on the page below to be directed to the digital edition:
$thumbnail$pagenum
$link$pagenum
Your form submission was a success. You will be contacted by Washington Gas with follow-up information regarding your request.
This process might take longer please wait
