Neighbourwoods Training

This past weekend, we attended a 3-day Neighbourwoods course at the University of Toronto. The training was led by Dr. Danijela Puric-Mladenovic and Dr. Andy Kenney, who developed the protocol together as a method for communities to collect comprehensive data on their urban forests. The protocol is a perfect tool for projects like Trees Count 2014 that are neighbourhood-based and rely on dedicated volunteers to get the job done. 

The training was attended by volunteers and project coordinators from many communities across Southern Ontario. It was great to be able to chat with everyone about their projects, hear about their progress, and get some tips!

On Friday evening, we had a discussion led by Dr. Kenney on the benefits of urban forestry. He reminded us that these benefits extend well beyond the drip line of a tree, and that they increase as the health and size of the urban forest increases. We got plenty of ideas on how the information we collect can be used by the community for planning and stewardship. It was a great start to a fantastic weekend!

Saturday dawned sunny and warm, and everyone arrived eager for the day ahead. We spent the morning with Andy, learning how to collect different pieces of data. He explained how to record tree location and described the mapping process. Then, we had lots of fun figuring out how to estimate tree height with a funny tool called a Merritt Hypsometer (shown in the picture on the right). Dr. Kenney did a great job explaining the rating scale used for various condition factors, including defoliation and cracks. We also learned how to identify tree conflicts.

After a break for lunch, we got to tour around with Danijela as she gave us tips on identifying tree species. We learned how to tell the difference between ash and cork trees (think opposite vs. alternate leaves), and how to pin down the proper type of maple. Did you know that you can tell a white elm from other elms because the backs of its leaves have a sandpaper texture? Pretty cool! Danijela encouraged us to use not just our eyes but all of our senses!

On Sunday, we spent the morning discussing hedges and plantable spots and keeping the experts busy with lots of questions. In the afternoon, it was our turn to take a crack at collecting our own data. It seemed like a daunting task at first, but once we got started, we found that it was pretty straightforward, and fun too! By the end of the day, we felt pretty confident in our new skills.

Now it’s your turn! We are holding our volunteer training sessions on June 5^th and June 14^th. See the Get Involved page for more details. We hope to see you there!
--Mara