Treecare for a Changing Planet

This lecture provides an introduction to Conservation Arboriculture, a comprehensive and holistic/organic approach to caring for trees and woody plants, based on recent ecological research and understandings of tree and soil biology, as well as climate research. The presentation will illustrate the benefits of a conservation-oriented practice, as compared to traditional landscape industry arboriculture, which can sometimes have negative, long-term health effects on trees and their surrounding landscapes. For example, most healthy trees do not need to be fertilized and can in fact be harmed by the practice, and yet it continues. We will cover theories as well as specific techniques to make the transition to tree maintenance practices that are based on conservation and ecology.