Table of Contents Lara A. Roman, Bailey C. Smith, Dana Dentice, Mindy Maslin, and Glen Abrams Monitoring Young Tree Survival with Citizen Scientists: The Evolving Tree Checkers Program in Philadelphia, PA ....................................................................................................................255 Abstract. Citizen science programs are not static; they change over time in response to new program priorities and emerging technologies, as well as to improve work flow for program staff and volunteers. In this article, the authors present a case study of an evolving urban forestry citizen science program at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, a nonprofit organization in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. The Tree Check- ers program involves tree stewards recording data each summer about recently planted tree survival, growth, crown vigor, and maintenance, while also engaging their neighbors to encourage proper tree care. The program began in 2011, but changed in 2016 to use a new online data collection tool that was integrated into a larger tree data management system. Tree Checkers has also shiſted to be more focused on rigor- ous data to report program performance and share information with researchers, whereas the earlier years of Tree Checkers were centered on enabling and encouraging neighborhood tree stewards to plan for tree care. A recent data quality evaluation showed that volunteer data was reasonably consistent with data reported by more experienced interns for tree survival, vigor, and trunk measurements, but steward- ship variables were not interpreted and recorded consistently. By making rigorous data more central to Tree Checkers, program staff also sought to institutionalize monitoring within the organization, allowing for direct comparisons of outcomes year-to-year. The authors close with lessons learned that are relevant to other organizations seeking to create or enhance outcomes monitoring programs with citizen scientists. Key Words. Adaptive Management; Citizen Science; Data Quality; Tree Mortality; Tree Survival; Urban Environmental Stewardship; Urban Forestry; Volunteer Monitoring. Amanda E. Sorensen, Rebecca C. Jordan, Gloria Blaise, Jeff Brown, Lindsay K. Campbell, Myla F.J. Aronson, and Michelle L. Johnson Drivers of Public Participation in Urban Restoration Stewardship Programs: Linkages Between Environmental Identity and Knowledge, and Motivations .............................266 Abstract. Environmental restoration projects are widely used as a means to reverse the degradation and damage done to an ecosystem by a range of different disturbances. Literature shows that engaging the public in restoration projects is important to long-term suc- cess; therefore, it is important to understand who participates in stewardship of these projects and why. Here, researchers investigate what aspects of individuals’ environmental knowledge, environmental identity, demographics, views of and engagement in their com- munity, and current civic stewardship might predict willingness to engage in restoration stewardship activities. This project takes place in the context of an ongoing maritime restoration planting experiment in the Jamaica Bay region of New York City, New York, U.S. The study authors developed a questionnaire with scales of the metrics above. Researchers found that individuals who were most willing to engage in environmental restoration stewardship had high sense of personal agency (i.e., their actions can have impact), saw value in their stewardship contributions for their community, were older, and were very knowledgeable about environmental issues. Addi- tionally, the desire to preserve local biodiversity was not correlated with engagement in environmental restoration programs, whereas a desire to help and improve the local community was positively correlated. These results suggest a need to reframe how scientists and practitioners approach and discuss future restoration projects with community members to garner support for these types of programs. Key Words. Biodiversity; Civic Science; New York City; Restoration; Stewardship; Urban Ecology. E. John Barker, Allison Craig, Allison Winmill, Joe Meating, and Candace Karandiuk Volunteering for Forest Health: A Public-Private Partnership in Oakville, Ontario, Canada .........283 Abstract. The Forest Health Ambassador Program, a joint public-private initiative in Oakville, Ontario, Canada, recruits volunteers from the community to assess municipal street trees for health issues and signs of invasive insects. In partnership with municipal employees, staff from BioForest, a private consultant, trains volunteers to inspect trees for a suite of structural and foliar conditions, as well as for signs and symptoms of infestation by emerald ash borer, gypsy moth, and Asian longhorned beetle. Since 2014, 4,871 street trees have been assessed by a growing base of volunteers. The program effectively increases the number of participants involved in the early detec- tion of invasive pests, beyond what government resources typically allow. Thus, the program entails a low-cost investment that provides multiple ancillary benefits and channels community efforts into a cohesive product. The results provide data with direct implications for municipal forestry operations and help identify trends in urban forest health over time. For example, detections of relatively high numbers of gypsy moth egg masses were reported by volunteers, allowing the municipality to take remedial action and mitigate damage. A vari- ety of media are used to advertise the program, including community newspapers and social media, as well as communications in local schools and at community events. The program is well-suited to high school students, who are able to complete curriculum-mandated volunteer hours through the program, while simultaneously gaining environmental knowledge. The program allows for the proliferation of awareness and education pertaining to municipal urban forest issues, particularly those related to invasive species and urban tree health. Key Words. Canada; Citizen Science; Community Engagement; Environmental Awareness; Invasive Species; Monitoring; Ontario; Urban Trees. ©2018 | International Society of Arboriculture | ISSN:1935-5297
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