Arboriculture & Urban Forestry 34(1): January 2008 Arboriculture & Urban Forestry 2008. 34(1):5–12. 5 Advancement in State Government Involvement in Urban and Community Forestry in the 50 United States: Changes in Program Status From 1986 to 2002 Richard J. Hauer, Cynthia J. Casey, and Robert W. Miller Abstract. This study investigated changes in state urban and community forestry (U&CF) programs since expansion of the federal U&CF program in 1990. Baseline data from 1986 compared with state U&CF program data in 2002 demonstrated significant expansion in state U&CF program capacity and assistance to local urban forestry efforts within the 50 United States. Use of Federal Cooperative Forestry Assistance Grants more than doubled, two additional state U&CF staff were employed within the program, time allocated to statewide coordination and regional implementation of the U&CF program approximately doubled, and a 111% national increase in the amount of state money used to finance the program occurred. In contrast, a similar minority of state coordinators in 1986 (40%) and 2002 (42%) believed adequate attention was given by the state agency housing the U&CF program. State coordinators in 2002 also had a similar outlook on the long-term future through expansion, reduction, or elimination of the state U&CF program reported in 1986 with slightly over 60% in both years believing expansion will occur. A significantly similar percentage of state U&CF program coordinators in 2002 (68%) compared with 1986 (77%) thought the state U&CF program would continue if federal funding was eliminated, however with a reduction in local assistance. Study findings suggest many positive changes in state U&CF program capacity occurred between 1986 and 2002 with various indicators suggesting dependence within some states on federal funding to maintain their current capacity. Key Words. Financial and technical assistance; program capacity; state and federal urban and community forestry; urban forestry. The urban forest is a vital component of built environments and includes the present and potential vegetation that provides ben- efits within a land area associated and influenced by urban popu- lations (Miller 1997; Dwyer et al. 2000; Kuser 2000; Koni- jnendijk and Randrup 2004; McPherson 2004). Urban forestry is the management of the urban forest and as a discipline continues to move forward at many levels (Miller 1997; Konijnendijk et al. 2006). Advances in basic and applied research and practical application of science-based knowledge continue to occur (Cam- pana 1999; Dwyer et al. 2002; Konijnendijk and Randrup 2004). Educational opportunities at workshops, conferences, and uni- versity settings have greatly increased since the 1970s (Andresen 1978; Andersen et al. 2002; Elmendorf et al. 2005). Even with these advances, in many United States locales, adequate urban forestry efforts were lacking and federal and state programs were created to help foster local urban forestry efforts and the urban forest (Hortscience and Aslan Group 2004; U.S. House of Rep- resentatives 2004; Hauer and Johnson 2007). A significant expansion in funding and activities within state and federal urban and community forestry (U&CF) programs occurred since the U.S. Federal Farm Bill of 1990 (P.L. 101– 513) and an enhanced federal role with U&CF (Deneke 1992; Hortscience and Aslan Group 2004; Hauer 2005). The federal assistance role was created with the understanding that the gen- eral health of the urban forest was declining, urban tree popula- tions improve quality of life and economic value of urban land, and a mission to encourage tree planting and develop an ability or capacity within states to undertake U&CF programs was de- sirable (Biles and Deneke 1982; USDA-FS 2002). Urban for- estry funding at the federal level has increased (tripled when adjusted for inflation) from $3.5 million in 1978 to $31.95 mil- lion in 2005 (Grey 1978; Biles and Deneke 1982; Deneke 1983, 1992; Hauer 2005). Of this, approximately 50% to 60% in a given year moves directly to state U&CF programs (U.S. House of Representatives 2004; Hauer 2005; Hauer and Johnson 2007). As a result, this provides financial resources for state programs to increase technical and financial assistance to local urban for- estry programs (Andresen 1978; Casey and Miller 1988; Hort- science and Aslan Group 2004; Hauer 2005; Hauer and Johnson 2007). State and federal U&CF programs use their existing ca- pacity to increase the ability or capacity locally to develop and expand urban forestry programs and activities (Hauer 2006). Ideally, sustainable local programs result (Clark et al. 1997; Dwyer et al. 2003; Elmendorf et al. 2003; USDA-FS 2004a; Hauer 2005; Hauer and Johnson 2007). State U&CF forestry programs use technical assistance, finan- cial assistance, and technology transfer to assist local urban for- estry programs (Hauer 2005; Hauer and Johnson 2007). Finan- cial assistance provides money for activities to inventory tree and natural resources, develop management plans, purchase trees, conduct tree risk assessment, develop and implement ur- ban forest health activities, and develop and conduct workshops to train community members. Technical assistance ideally de- velops a skill or ability to conduct an urban forestry activity at a local level. Potential areas involve pest identification and man- agement methodologies, tree selection based on site character- istics, selecting tree and natural resource techniques best suited for a question or need at hand, developing management plans, ©2008 International Society of Arboriculture
January 2008
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