286 The outdoor component also included a visit to a nearby park where the Canadian Food Inspec- tion Agency has simulated the signs of Asian longhorned beetle activity on live maple trees, for educational purposes. Each volunteer re- ceived a package containing paper maps and data sheets, writing instruments, a measuring tape, and a reference booklet containing visual exam- ples of stem and crown conditions and invasive insects. Volunteers were assigned a survey area near their place of residence in Oakville measur- ing 0.25 km2 into a grid of 25 cells, with a map provided for each 10,000 m2 . This area was further subdivided grid cell. Each of these grid cell maps was populated with Oakville’s tree inven- tory data and used high-quality aerial imagery, resulting in clear, accessible maps for volunteers to reference. Data sheets were prefilled with tree species and address information correspond- ing to the tree inventory data points on the grid cell maps. Volunteers submitted their complet- ed data sheets either by dropping them off at Oakville’s municipal forestry offices or by scan- ning and emailing their forms to BioForest staff. Roman et al. (2017) recommend that citizen science programs include the use of data quality checking procedures to ensure high quality results, and the design of the Forest Health Ambassador Program was aligned with this approach. Because Oakville used data collected by volunteers to sup- port management objectives, data quality and accuracy were integral to the goals of the program. During the data collection period, volunteers were encouraged to submit questions and concerns to BioForest staff, who replied within 24 hours, and to meet with the volunteer, if necessary, to pro- vide additional guidance. After submitting data, each volunteer was subject to an audit by Bio- Forest staff in order to verify that the submitted data were accurate and complete. In the case of experienced volunteers, BioForest staff conducted visual inspections on a minimum of three trees and verified all invasive insect reports. If a vol- unteer was new to the program, BioForest staff audited one full map grid cell, in order to ensure that the protocols were well understood. If a vol- unteer’s data appeared to be highly inaccurate, BioForest staff met with the volunteer to provide additional training and to correct any issues. ©2018 International Society of Arboriculture Barker et al.: Volunteering for Forest Health Volunteers contacted BioForest staff while performing surveys if they observed a condi- tion of concern, such as a potentially hazard- ous tree. BioForest staff conducted a follow-up inspection and referred the tree to Oakville forestry staff, if necessary. BioForest staff immediately performed a follow-up inspec- tion of any tree suspected of being infested by Asian longhorned beetle, due to the seri- ous repercussions of an infestation of that pest. In addition to providing high quality volunteer data, the program’s long-term viability was con- tingent on volunteers enjoying their experience. Simple expressions of thanks and appreciation are considered effective components of volunteer management that make volunteers’ experiences more meaningful and may help retain volunteers (Wolcott et al. 2008; York 2017). The Forest Health Ambassador Program highlighted volunteers’ accomplishments by holding a volunteer apprecia- tion night after the data collection season ends. The Town of Oakville hosted the appreciation night, which included a presentation of the trends in the volunteers’ data and examples of direct manage- ment actions taken by Oakville staff as a result of the program. In 2016 and 2017, the appreciation night event included a tree planting to commemo- rate the volunteers’ contribution to urban forest health. The 2017 appreciation night also included a tree identification exercise, a topic in which volunteers had previously expressed interest. PROGRAM GROWTH AND EVOLUTION From 2014 to 2017, there was an increase in par- ticipation and in the number of annual data submis- sions (Table 2). Increases in participation aligned with diversification of advertising methods and dedicated efforts to recruit high school students. The number of actual annual participants was greater than the number tallied from submitted data forms, as some volunteers participated in small groups, for example, with family members or fel- low volunteers. As of 2017, volunteers had assessed a total of 4,871 street trees in Oakville, equivalent to about 5% of the Town’s street tree population. The data submitted by volunteers have benefit- ted municipal operations in Oakville. For exam- ple, in 2015 and 2017, volunteers reported high
November 2018
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