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Background: Professional credentialing refers to the process of obtaining a certifi cation or license that validates an individual’s knowledge, skills, and abilities according to industry-accepted ethics and standards. The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) confers and manages professional arborist certifi cation as well as other arborist credentials. However, many communities, such as in the southern United States, have few if any credentialed commercial tree care professionals. This study explores the motivations and barriers commercial tree care workers place on professional arborist certifi cation. Methods: The research employed 60 qualitative interviews from 3 of the 8 southern states to elicit emergent themes and detailed understanding of participants’ attitudes and experiences. In addition, an online survey of 742 international respondents was conducted to validate and complement interview fi ndings. Results: Results illustrate degrees of professional interest in certifi cation. For example, some arborists pursued certifi cation to improve sales with government organizations, while both certifi ed and noncertifi ed participants suggested few clients were aware of certifi cation and therefore did not consider certifi cation valuable to market competition. Additionally, company cultures supporting professional development and engagement with professional organizations infl uenced certifi cation among new employees. Finally, some arborists viewed certifi cation as a pathway to increase knowledge, skills, and confi dence in arboriculture. Others discussed diffi culties in traditional education and testing required for certifi cation. Conclusion: The reasons for pursuing certifi cation were as diverse as the tree care workers in the industry. Findings suggest several possible interventions to address the challenges some individuals have in achieving certifi cation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The determination of water requirements for crops holds a crucial role in optimizing irrigation and enhancing agricultural productivity. However, identifying these needs remains a significant challenge due to the variety of factors influencing this decision, such as meteorological conditions, soil structure, and the phenological stages of each crop. In this study, we propose the design and development of a dedicated web-based irrigation advisory platform for arboriculture named 'Soqia-Advice'. This platform will provide services to farmers, advisors, and decision-makers. The proposed methodology is based on four main steps: (1) need assessments; (2) definition of functionalities to fulfill these needs; (3) design of the overall architecture and the conceptual data model; and (4) implementation of key features of the module dedicated to farmers. The prototype of the "Farmer" module was tested on a farm in Azrou city, Morocco, as a case study. Seven-day weather forecasts were seamlessly integrated using the Weatherbit API. Additionally, the irrigation schedule was accurately displayed, ensuring efficient water management. Functionality tests were conducted on each menu to ensure the seamless and reliable operation of all planned features. The results were rigorously assessed to ensure that each feature aligned with the identified needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an urgent need for energy sources with lower environmental impacts to dispose of waste generated by human activities. In this context, a holistic analysis of energy use of waste from agricultural and forestry activities, animal excreta, urban solid waste and sewage, waste from the pulp and paper industry and charcoal in Brazil is presented. Based on a bibliographic review, the current Brazilian panorama is presented in figures giving, a vision of national potential for harnessing bioenergy from this theoretical and technical potential. The QGIS3.24.2 Tisler geoprocessing tool was used to generate potentiality maps from census data of microregions and municipalities available in the IBGE database (2022) and in the Geocentric Reference System for the Americas (SIRGAS 2000). The results of map analysis by micro‐regions of the primary energy from agricultural residues highlight sugar cane, corn and soybeans crops, followed by wastewater and animal excreta. They stood out amont the studied sources of biomass with technical potentials of 53.17, 15.23 and 6.81 GW, respectively. With these results, it is concluded that Brazil could enable around 75 GW installed power, reusing all biomass, potentially 12.5 PJ, without considering the 16 GW already installed from sugarcane and paper black liquor plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optimization of irrigation in arboriculture holds crucial importance for effectively managing water resources in arid regions. This work introduces the development and implementation of an innovative solution named 'Soqia', a responsive WEB-GIS web application designed for real-time monitoring of the water status in arboriculture. This solution integrates meteorological data, remote sensing data, and ground sensor-collected data for precise irrigation management at the agricultural plot level. A range of features has been considered in the development of this WEB -GIS solution, ranging from visualizing vegetation indices to accessing current weather data, thereby contributing to more efficient irrigation management. Compared to other existing applications, 'Soqia' provides users with the current amount of water to irrigate, as well as an estimated amount for the next 8 days. Additionally, it offers spatio-temporal tracking of vegetation indices provided as maps and graphs. The importance of the Soqia solution at the national level is justified by the scarcity of water resources due to increasingly frequent and intense drought seasons for the past years. Low rainfall is recorded in all national agricultural areas. The implemented prototype is a first step toward the development of future innovative tools aimed at improving water management in regions facing water challenges. This prototype illustrates the potential of Web-GIS-based precision irrigation systems for the rational use of water in agriculture in general and arboriculture in particular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Codes of ethics (COEs) play an important role in outlining an association's ethical expectations of its membership. Diversity, equity, and inclusion issues in arboriculture have been long-standing, resulting in prevalent systemic inequality and discrimination within the industry. Codes of ethics may provide a means through which to address systemic barriers; however, unlike the forestry industry, there is limited understanding of how arboriculture organizations' codes of ethics approach diversity, equity, and inclusion. This review of 9 national and international arboriculture organizations' codes of ethics examines how equity, diversity, and inclusion are included within the expected ethical conduct of professional members. Through thematic and qualitative content analyses, we found that arboriculture organizations' codes of ethics varied in length and depth, ranging from 7 to 47 statements in codes of ethics. Most ethical codes were positively framed, indicating what members should do, rather than the contrasting negative framing which indicates what members should not do. Of the 9 arboriculture organizations, 7 included equity, diversity, and inclusion statements. Inclusion codes were the most common (n = 6 COEs), followed by equity (n = 5 COEs) and diversity (n = 3 COEs). In total, 8 codes of ethics referenced adherence to laws and regulations, 4 of which may provide a means for promoting ethical practice in the absence of explicit statements about equity, diversity, and inclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Archaeological research on traditional Hawaiian agriculture has generally focused on two primary strategies: irrigated pondfield and intensive dryland cultivation. However, other cultivation strategies, such as colluvial slope agriculture, were practiced but have been less intensively studied and remain poorly understood. To begin to remedy this paucity of information, a joint education and research project between International Archaeological Research Institute, Inc., the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa (UHM) Department of Anthropology, and Kamehameha Schools (KS) was conducted in Punalu'u Ahupua'a to examine an integrated slope agricultural, religious, and residential complex. Subsurface investigations and radiometric dating indicate that initial vegetation clearing of the area may have occurred as early as the late thirteenth to early fifteenth centuries AD. As early as the fifteenth century, some stands of economic trees were growing, which may have coincided with initial placement of boundary walls along some portions of the slopes. Major expansion of the surface agricultural infrastructure along the landscape occurred through the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries AD. Religious structures and associated features were built as early as the seventeenth century and later. These results situate colluvial slope agriculture within the broader context of traditional Hawaiian agronomic strategies and political and social processes across the Hawaiian archipelago. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of agricultural systems is a fundamental component of social-ecological transformation and a predominant factor influencing social behavior and structuring. However, oversimplification of traditional agricultural production often occurs and limits the understanding of past populations' abilities to mitigate potential risks and enhance food security through effective land management strategies. The social-ecological traits that characterize the Hawaiian Islands provides a unique vantage to explore human ecodynamics over the longue durée and assess how these systems can be used to inform current and future land-use strategies, both locally and globally. Using the Hawaiian archipelago as a case study, digitized historical maps depicting a range of crop species and cropping systems were georeferenced to assess previous estimates of land use by early island populations and demonstrate the limitations of narratives constructed from previously modeled extents of land-use activity that rely solely on the preservation of archaeological remnants. The results of our mapped vegetation correspond well with the more intensive forms of agriculture that were included in previous models, but overall indicate that previous models do not fully represent the extent of land use by early island populations, missing vast applications of agroforestry and arboriculture. Based on our findings, we argue that the omission of cultivation systems not associated with physical infrastructure has vastly limited the comprehension of land use by early island populations and driven narratives in social-ecological dynamics that underestimate the extent of agricultural production while inferring sociopolitical outcomes based on the prevailing agricultural dichotomy. To remedy this limitation, we suggest a multimethods approach that integrates diverse data sets for an agricultural model that is more inclusive of all agricultural forms implemented by early Native Hawaiian populations and, therefore, is more representative of the extents of land use by island populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture is one of the most fundamental ways in which human societies interact with the environment. The form and function of agriculture have important socio-political implications in terms of yields, labor requirements, variability and resilience, and elite control. Hawai'i has been used as a model system for the discussion of coupled human and natural systems, and how the uneven distribution of agricultural opportunities has manifested in the political ecology. However, consideration of agriculture has emphasized forms with physical infrastructure documented through archaeology and have not included arboricultural forms that were extensive among Pacific Islands. We leverage existing, independent data sets to build and validate spatial models of two intensities of arboriculture across the Hawaiian archipelago: Agroforestry and Novel Forest. Model validation demonstrates good accuracy that includes both expected and unexpected sources of errors. Results of the models demonstrate that arboricultural techniques accounted for ~70% of the agricultural potential by area and ~40% of the agricultural potential by yield. Unlike existing agricultural forms modeled, such as flooded wetland terrace cultivation and rainfed field production, which have strong distributional patterns based on the age of the islands, arboricultural potential is well distributed across all the islands. The extent, distribution, and characteristics of arboricultural methods provide important augmentation of the current narrative of production dynamics and distribution, and the political ecology, of pre-contact Hawai'i. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The success of public trees planted in urban areas by tree planting initiatives (TPIs) depends on how well the new trees fit into existing municipal structures and capacities. We sought to understand municipal management of trees in mid-sized towns through a case study in Massachusetts (US) involving a state-funded and state-managed TPI. Data was collected through structured interviews with tree wardens (municipal urban forest managers) to understand the various impacts that maintenance practices, municipal support and funding, and departmental structure may have on recently planted trees. In this Massachusetts program, municipal structure influenced the number of proactive management practices as well as the size of the tree activity budget. Consideration of municipal department roles and structure by TPIs may allow for more effective implementation of these initiatives. Our study begins to fill a research gap regarding small to mid-size municipalities and their role in tree planting and maintenance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tree risk assessment methods have been developed to assist arborists in conducting thorough and systematic inspections of trees and the threat they pose to people or property. While these methods have many similarities, they also have a few key differences which may impact the decisions of those employing them. Moreover, arborists specify the associated timeframe for their risk assessment, which can range from months to years. How this impacts risk assessment reproducibility is unknown. Methods: To assess the impact of risk assessment methodology, we sent videos depicting trees in urban settings to arborists holding the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ; n = 28) or Quantifi ed Tree Risk Assessment (QTRA; n = 21) training. These assessments were compared to those prepared by North American arborists lacking the TRAQ credential (ISA BMP; n = 11). ISA BMP arborists were also asked to assess trees using both a 1-year and a 3-year timeframe. Results: While a direct comparison between the QTRA and TRAQ assessments is not possible given differences in terminology, arborists with the latter training were less likely to rate trees as having "high" or "extreme" risk compared to their ISA BMP counterparts. Moreover, we found that switching to a longer timeframe did not increase the variability of risk assessments. Conclusions: These results give further insights into how different risk assessment methods compare when assessing the same group of trees as well as the impact of training efforts and specified timeframe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban trees are extremely significant and provide numerous advantages for both the environment and people. In order to provide a healthy and sustainable environment, green spaces have long been seen as a crucial component of contemporary cities. Nevertheless, as urbanization and population growth have accelerated, environmental challenges have become a major worldwide issue. This study mainly focuses on the assessment of hazardous trees along the Bagmati river corridor and documents major tree species for urban forestry. The study was conducted in ward number 08 of Kathmandu metropolitan city. Total enumeration was carried out by recording information on trees through direct observation of the whole site. The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) tree hazard evaluation method was used as a tree risk assessment tool. A total of 74 trees were recorded from the study site. Grevillea robusta, Cinnamomum camphora, Ficus bengalensis, F. religiosa, and so on were the major species planted along the Bagmati corridor. The trees were categorized in varying degrees of hazard. Forty-seven trees were less hazardous, 24 were semihazardous, and 3 were hazardous with hazard rates of 2.91, 6.04, and 9, respectively. Jasminum nudiflorum was the only hazardous species recorded followed by semihazardous species such as Morus alba and F. religiosa among other species, and Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Citrus limon, Psidium guajava, Alnus nepalensis, and so on were least hazardous tree species. The hazardous tree in urban areas increases the risk to people and public as well as private properties. There is a need for the removal of such hazardous trees and planting the right species at the right time. Moreover, regular inspection and a clear policy for urban trees are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction In the last 30 years, many forests have been destroyed in the Zagros region of Iran. Afforestation is necessary to reduce the pressure on the natural forests. Forest plantation and protection should be at the center of conservation efforts, significantly since plantations can offset the negative impact of climate change and be effective in absorbing atmospheric pollutants and helping to improve air quality. This research was conducted with the aim of evaluating the success of afforestation with the mountain almond (Amygdalus scoparia Spach.) in Arjan (Amygdalus elaeagnifolia Spach.) habitats of Jamal Beyg, Fars province and its effect on the understory vegetation, especially herbal species and soil. Comparing Arjan with mountain almond can provide additional information, to know the conditions of the native species in the region and the planted species, and it is a kind of comparative mode. In fact, evaluating the success and quantifying the ecological effects of the afforestation carried out by the executive organizations, which has been done at great expense, can guide managers for better decision-making. As no study has been done in this area yet, this research is the first one that quantifies the results of almond plantations in the Jamal Beyg region. Materials and Methods In order to check the percentage of survival and according to the budget and facilities, since the plantation rows were very long, three rows of planted shrubs in the Jamal Beyg region of Euclid in Fars province were randomly selected and the number of empty planting holes was counted. There are naturally but rarely shrubs such as Arjan (Amygdalus elaeagnifolia Spach.). In order to evaluate the existing vegetation, after initial sampling and based on the adequacy of the sample, 30 circular sample plots of 1000 square meters were taken in the form of a random-regular grid with dimensions of 100×100 meters. In the sample plots, the density of shrubs, their crow width, and survival, as well as the frequency of regeneration were measured. In order to check the number of species present in the plantation and control areas, at the end of May and the beginning of June 2021, all the plant species in the sample plots were identified or after they were collected and transferred to the herbarium, with the help of photos taken in the field, were identified. The life form and biological form of plant species were determined using the Raunkiaer system. Some physical and chemical characteristics of the soil such as texture, percentage of organic matter, phosphorus, EC, and pH amount were also measured and compared with the control area in the vicinity of the range which has similar topographical characteristics without afforestation operation. Due to the non-normality of the data distribution and the failure of various transformations, the Mann-Whitney test was used to compare two species of Arjan and mountain almond in terms of density, regeneration frequency, and crown area. Results and Discussion The survival rate of the plantation was 95 %, and the plantation area had a density of 342 trees per hectare, which created a canopy cover of five percent. The regeneration density of mountain almond and Arjan species was estimated to be 90 individuals and 4.5 individuals per ha, respectively. Afforestation with the mountain almond species in this area has increased the number of herbaceous species in such a way that there were 18 plant species belonging to 13 families in the afforestation area while 12 plant species belonging to eight families in the control area (without plantation area). In terms of canopy area, there was no significant difference between the two species of mountain almond and Arjan. In terms of regeneration density, there was a significant difference between the mountain almond and Arjan, and the regeneration density of the mountain almond was significantly higher than Arjan. The amount of organic matter (1.62), nitrogen (3.89), and phosphorus (11.02) of the soil in the afforestation area was higher than control area, and the ratio of carbon to nitrogen (C/N) in the afforestation area (0.46) was lower than control area. Conclusion The results of this research indicate the significant success of mountain almond afforestation in the Jamal Beyg region, Fars province. Afforestation in this area has increased organic matter and also the number of herbal species. The existence of a significant natural regeneration of the mountain almond indicates that the stand is on the true way of its succession. In order to control the grass cover and prevent fires, it is better to do light grazing in the spring season in the stands. Also, if there is a history of the presence of Pistacia atlantica in the area, planting its seeds or seedlings under the shelter of existing shrubs will help the stability of the stand. It is suggested that sufficient research be carried out to determine the appropriate method for determining the age of shrubs in such a way that natural regeneration can be separated from planted shrubs. The main goal of initializing a seed garden is to produce the modified seeds of the desired forest species in abundance, cheap, continuous, and easily accessible, far from the reach of unwanted pollen and with better genetic quality and quantity. To select suitable genotypes of a species in terms of traits such as resistance to drought stress, the genomic selection method can be used. Jamal Beyg aforestation is a valuable seed garden for future plantation. Considering the significant survival of mountain almonds and the possibility of natural reproduction, it is suggested to use this nurse species in the restoration of similar fields in the study area. Considering the effect of mountain almond afforestation in improving the soil properties of the region, it is suggested to give more importance to bioengineering operations and stabilization of slopes with this shrub in the Fars Province watersheds. As this afforestation has supported herbal species richness, it is suggested that the results of afforestation be explained to rural communities so that they are encouraged to preserve and protect forest plantations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Prunus genus contains many of the most economically significant arboreal crops, cultivated globally, today. Despite the economic significance of these domesticated species, the pre-cultivation ranges, processes of domestication, and routes of prehistoric dispersal for all of the economically significant species remain unresolved. Among the European plums, even the taxonomic classification has been heavily debated over the past several decades. In this manuscript, we compile archaeobotanical evidence for the most prominent large-fruiting members of Prunus, including peach, apricot, almonds, sloes, and the main plum types. By mapping out the chronology and geographic distributions of these species, we are able to discuss aspects of their domestication and dispersal more clearly, as well as identify gaps in the data and unanswered questions. We suggest that a clearer understanding of these processes will say a lot about ancient peoples, as the cultivation of delayed return crops is an indicator of a strong concept of land tenure and the specialization of these cultivation strategies seems to be tied to urbanism and reliable markets. Likewise, the evolution of domestication traits in long-generation perennials, especially within Rosaceae, represents awareness of grafting and cloning practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Production of high-quality 3D models of trees has a practical application in arboriculture, allowing the assessment, measurement, and recording of aboveground structural features of individual trees. Commercially available hobby UAVs (uncrewed aerial vehicles) with integrated cameras in combination with a low-cost photogrammetry software package can produce high-definition 3D models of tree structures with low financial investment. Methods: Our study compared an established orbital flight strategy and 2 novel close-range flight strategies for collecting digital imagery to produce 3D models of features of interest (FOIs) in trees. We used 3 separate tests to establish if these different flight strategies resulted in reliable, measurable, and complete models for FOIs in mature broadleaf trees. Results: Our study substantiated the findings of previous studies, in that a well-planned, automated orbital strategy of flight can render full models of trees from which accurate measurement of dimensions can be obtained. A flight strategy involving collecting clusters of images from different angles whilst the UAV stayed in one location was trialled, and the resulting models were typically incomplete and of low quality. However, the second close-range strategy of hand-flown missions running parallel with the FOI yielded highly detailed, complete models from which observations of the FOI's surface and accurate measurements of its dimensions could be obtained. Conclusions: We conclude that there are substantial opportunities for the use of low-cost UAVs to undertake visual tree assessments of the aerial parts of trees, subject to ease of access to the feature and the right choice of flight strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When working with urban trees, arborists can negatively impact urban wildlife. There have been recent efforts to strengthen wildlife protection and conservation during arboricultural practices, both legislatively and voluntarily through arboriculture organizations. To examine arborists' perceptions of these environmental policies and understand their experiences with urban wildlife, we conducted an international online survey of 805 arborists. Many respondents (n  = 481, 59.8%) reported being involved in tree work that resulted in wildlife injury or death, despite most respondents reportedly modifying work plans or objectives after encountering wildlife (n  = 598, 74.3%). Decisions to modify or cease work were most heavily influenced by the legal protection of species, wildlife having young, and the overall management objectives. Support for new wildlife best management practices (BMPs) was high (n  = 718, 90.3%), as was awareness of wildlife and arboriculture-related legislation (n  = 611, 77.2%). The findings demonstrate support amongst arborists for the implementation of wildlife policies to protect wildlife in urban forestry; however, implementation of such policies would require a non-prescriptive approach that is relevant to a diversity of wildlife concerns globally, causing concern amongst arborists about the applicability of such a document. Concerns also included the economic impacts of voluntary wildlife protection policies in arboriculture, where competitors may not adhere to industry standards or best practices. Given the support of arborists for increased wildlife protection policies, we recommend the development of international wildlife-focused BMPs for arboriculture, especially as an intermediary until legislation can be implemented or more rigorously enforced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article combines historical and archaeological evidence to investigate the role arboriculture played in the agricultural economy in the southern Levant as centers of production moved away from rural agricultural estates and focused instead on urban centers. Integrating this evidence with archaeobotanical data from Early Islamic deposits at the archaeological site of Ashkelon, located on the southern Mediterranean coast of modern-day Israel, I conclude that people specialized in arboriculture as a means to supply the needs of both subsistence and craft economies in this city, encapsulating the intensification of agricultural production in this period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban trees provide ecosystem services of great importance to the city. To take advantage of these services, it is important that the trees are in good condition, minimizing the risk to people, goods, and essential activities due to the fall of branches or entire trees. Therefore, their condition must be duly evaluated to favor their presence in the city with acceptable levels of risk. The main goal of this research was to compare assessments of likelihood of failure of urban trees using three levels of risk assessment, as well as to study the combination of visual assessment with results obtained from non-destructive technologies. Thirty-two trees of the genera Eucalyptus and Tipuana, located in an urban park in Montevideo, Uruguay, were evaluated. Two assessors with experience in visual assessment and non-destructive equipment used three levels of assessment according to ANSI A300. For levels 1 and 2, descriptors based on the ISA/BMP method were used. For level 3, evaluations were performed with a drilling resistance equipment and an acoustic tomograph. The basic visual assessments and non-destructive analyses could be linked, especially in trees that had some evidence of structural problems in stems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morphometric analysis of trees can help in the selection of the most suitable species in urban areas, by allowing us to understand the dynamics of tree growth forms. The objective was to develop a morphometric index for trees located in green areas of Curitiba, Paraná. 122 trees of the five species with the highest number of records of fall and removal in Curitiba were selected: Tipuana tipu, Jacaranda mimosifolia, Erythrina falcata, Melia azedarach and Ligustrum lucidum, in the Passeio Público Municipal of Curitiba and in nine squares located in the Centro district. From the biometric data obtained in the field, the Integrated Morphometric Index (IMI) was calculated through multivariate factorial analysis performed in the statistical software IBM SPSS® Statistics. There was low variability between interdimensional sizes, indicating a pattern of growth among species, especially for T. tipu. On the other hand, J. mimosifolia, E. falcata and M. azedarach present greater variability of the morphometric data, with trees of size considerably higher than the average of the others, while L. lucidum was the species with the smallest interdimensional size. The biometric variables total height, crown height, north crown radius, east crown radius and DBH were the most correlated with the tree growth pattern, explaining 57.9% of the data variation. The generated IMI was adequate to evaluate the behavior of the variables, as it explained 72% of the data variation. The T. tipu trees showed the lowest variability between their interdimensional sizes, thus indicating a more evident growth pattern for this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pistachio (Pistachio vera L.) is commercially cultivated in semi-arid regions around the globe. Archaeobotanical, genetic, and linguistic data suggest that the pistachio was brought under cultivation somewhere within its wild range, spanning southern Central Asia, northern Iran, and northern Afghanistan. Historically, pistachio cultivation has primarily relied on grafting, suggesting that, as with many Eurasian tree crops, domestication resulted from genetically locking hybrids or favored individuals in place. Plant domestication and dispersal research has largely focused on weedy, highly adaptable, self-compatible annuals; in this discussion, we present a case study that involves a dioecious long-lived perennial—a domestication process that would have required a completely different traditional ecological knowledge system than that utilized for grain cultivation. We argue that the pistachio was brought under cultivation in southern Central Asia, spreading westward by at least 2000 years ago (maybe a few centuries earlier to the mountains of modern Syria) and moved eastward only at the end of the first millennium AD. The seeds remain rare in archaeological sites outside its native range, even into the mid-second millennium AD, and may not have been widely cultivated until the past few hundred years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epidemiological data regarding thyroid diseases are lacking, in particular for occupationally exposed populations. To compare the risk of hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism between farming activities within the complete population of French farm managers (FMs). Digital health data from retrospective administrative databases, including insurance claims and electronic health/medical records, was employed. This cohort data spanned the entirety of French farm managers (FMs) who had undertaken work at least once from 2002 to 2016. Survival analysis with the time to initial medication reimbursement as timescale was used to examine the association (hazard ratio, HR) between 26 specific farming activities and both treated hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. A distinct model was developed for each farming activity, comparing FMs who had never engaged in the specific farming activity between 2002 and 2016 with those who had. All analyses were adjusted for potential confounders (e.g., age), and sensitivity analyses were conducted. Among 1088561 FMs (mean age 46.6 [SD 14.1]; 31% females), there were 31834 hypothyroidism cases (75% females) and 620 hyperthyroidism cases (67% females), respectively. The highest risks were observed for cattle activities for both hyperthyroidism (HR ranging from 1.75 to 2.42) and hypothyroidism (HR ranging from 1.41 to 1.44). For hypothyroidism, higher risks were also observed for several animal farming activities (pig, poultry, and rabbit), as well as fruit arboriculture (HR = 1.22 [1.14–1.31]). The lowest risks were observed for activities involving horses. Sex differences in the risk of hypothyroidism were observed for eight activities, with the risk being higher for males (HR = 1.09 [1.01–1.20]) than females in viticulture (HR = 0.97 [0.93–1.00]). The risk of hyperthyroidism was two times higher for male dairy farmers than females. Our findings offer a comprehensive overview of thyroid disease risks within the FM community. Thyroid ailments might not stem from a single cause but likely arise from the combined effects of various causal agents and triggering factors (agricultural exposome). Further investigation into distinct farming activities—especially those involving cattle—is essential to pinpoint potential risk factors that could enhance thyroid disease monitoring in agriculture. [Display omitted] • Development of thyroid diseases may be promoted by agricultural exposure. • French nationwide population-based study using administrative heath databases. • Risk of thyroid diseases was examined for 26 farming activities. • A higher risk of thyroid diseases was found in all cattle farming activities. • A higher risk of hypothyroidism was observed in fruit arboriculture and viticulture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Risk assessment of urban trees is an incipient practice in Latin America, generally performed with foreign methods, due to the lack of qualified personnel and locally validated or adapted methodology. This article evaluates the application of three methods on street trees in Montevideo city, Uruguay: Tree Hazard Risk Evaluation and Treatment System (THREATS), Quantified Tree Risk Assessment (QTRA) and Best Management Practices - Tree Risk Assessment (ISA BMP). Three assessors with similar experience applied three methods in 36 trees of three widely used genera, totaling 324 assessments and 1,296 data. The methods were decomposed into the components: Likelihood of Failure, Likelihood of Impact, Consequence and Risk Rating. The data were statistically analyzed through a generalized linear mixed model (p<0.05), for the factors: assessor, method, genus, and their interactions. Results showed no significant differences among assessors, but there were differences among methods, specifically for the Likelihood of Impact and Risk Rating components. The ISA BMP method presented higher means in these last two components. Still, this method is suggested for street trees in Montevideo until a more appropriate method is adapted or developed for local conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chain saws are a primary piece of equipment in arboriculture. Sharpening of chain saw chains is important to the chain saw's continued efficient cutting power. Analyses of chain saw sharpening procedures can influence efficiency and sustainability in arboriculture. Previous research has examined mechanical aspects and variability of chain saw chains; however, a knowledge gap exists regarding sharpening methods relating to operational efficiency. Methods: Chain saw chains retired from operational service were submitted by 132 arboriculture crews from 47 companies across a 6-month period. The research team reviewed 640 chain saw chains to determine whether the functionable lives of the chain saw chains had been exhausted. If the functionable life was not exhausted, the remaining functional life of the chain was documented. To analyze the accounting cost and economic cost of sharpening versus purchasing new chain saw chains, an economic model was created with variables from chain saw chain manufacturers and geospatial data. Results: Of the submitted chain saw chains, 77% (n = 493) were retired before their functional life was exhausted. The mean number of additional times that the chains could have been sharpened was 4.54 more times (s = 2.22). Per the economic model, accounting costs of purchasing new chains were 3.64 to 4.96 times more expensive than sharpening chains in-house. The economic cost of purchasing a new chain was generally 1.83 to 3.74 times more expensive than sharpening chains in-house. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that the functional service life of chain saw chains are frequently not exhausted and that purchasing chains has higher accounting and economic costs than sharpening chains in-house. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Urban tree growth may be reduced due to poor urban soil conditions. Soil management to alleviate poor urban soil conditions often includes organic amendments, fertilization, and/or tillage. A 3-year experiment was conducted in an urban landscape in Bolingbrook, Illinois, USA, to test whether an arboriculture treatment with biochar, fertilization, and tillage could improve soil quality and tree growth. Methods: The urban landscape included 75 street trees (Gleditsia triacanthos, Ulmus parvifolia, and Acer rubrum) growing in compacted, fine-textured soils. Results: The results of this experiment suggest that the arboricultural treatment of biochar, fertilization, and tillage (BFT) may improve soil quality and urban tree growth. Relative height growth was significantly greater (P = 0.05) for Acer rubrum trees with BFT treatment (+ 28.9%) compared to tillage alone (+ 13.3%). Total soil organic matter (SOM), particulate soil organic matter (POM), and a soil quality index (SQI) were significantly (P = 0.05) greater in the BFT treatment (total SOM = 6.00%, POM = 9.73%, and SQI = 70.2) compared to the tillage treatment (total SOM = 5.29%, POM = 7.23%, and SQI = 60.8). The SOM responses to the BFT treatment appear to be relatively shortlived but correlated with measures of tree growth. Conclusion: This arboricultural treatment of biochar, fertilization, and tillage has potential to be used to improve soil quality and promote growth for trees growing in compacted, fine-textured soils in suburban street tree landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tree species, much like clothing, go in and out of fashion. The purpose of this study was to explore the cultural life of the Lombardy poplar and how it evolved from being greatly admired to reviled in the USA. Despite early widespread popularity, the Lombardy poplar fell swiftly from grace and bore the brunt of an unusually high level of hostility—it was variously called odious, nasty, greedy, and worthless. The country's growing xenophobia and hostility to immigrants in the nineteenth century and the Know-Nothing Movement certainly reinforced and prolonged the hatred of the Lombardy Poplar as a 'useless foreigner', but this paper argues that though certainly tied to the early nativist movement, the shunning of the tree was more complex. It began in Philadelphia, with an unfounded claim that the Lombardy poplar produced a worm whose bite caused instant death, which led to panicked calls for the destruction of all poplars in the city. The worm fiasco was followed by changes in horticultural fashion, a growing sense of pride in all things American, and a greater appreciation for the admirable, even superior, qualities of their own native trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The regular autumn meeting of the museum botanists was held in The Regional Museum in Olomouc from 18th to 19th October, 2022. The event was supported by the Association of Museums and Galleries of the Czech Republic as usual. The one-day determination course was focused on the genus Salix and was realized in cooperation with the Faculty of Science of Palacký University Olomouc. The field excursion was held in the landscape park of the chateau Čechy pod Kosířem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban forests create indispensable habitat for declining wildlife populations. The tree care industry is essential to the viability of urban forests and thus the survival of urban wildlife. At the same time, tree care operations such as tree removal and branch pruning present clear threats to urban wildlife and their habitats. Here we describe the development of a grassroots coalition of arborists and wildlife advocates in the Western United States and the process of charting a path to best management practices and professional training to mitigate the impacts of tree care practices to wildlife. In particular, we describe the unique challenges and opportunities that arose through this multidisciplinary process and build a case for the benefits of uniting diverse communities of practice around complex urban ecological problems. We finish by laying out recommendations to the international arboriculture and urban forestry practitioner and research communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Professional judgment is derived from a person's intuition, training, and level of expertise. When exploring the influence that expertise has on the process of tree risk assessment, it is helpful to approach the topic in relation to its impact across various related fields and disciplines. This paper reviews the effects of arboricultural and tree risk assessment training on the assessor and overall tree risk assessment methodology through the lens of professional judgment and decision making. Additionally, the topic of risk perception is explored based on how it can affect decision making. Concepts and theories related to risk perception are applied to arboriculture and tree risk assessment to provide additional insight into how subjectivity and personal bias may affect recommendations, mitigation, and the overall management of our urban forests. The review finds that an individual's perception of a risk can be equally as influential as the reality of the risk on the decision-making process, recommendations, and subsequent outcomes of an assessment. Furthermore, experts, similar to novices, are susceptible to the influence of perceived risk. Much of the available research has suggested that the acquisition of professional expertise (i.e., previous experience, training, and accreditation) can result in decision making that is more closely tied to the reality of a risk. Ultimately, a great deal remains unknown regarding our understanding of professional expertise and its influence on the tree risk assessment process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trees provide social, economic and aesthetic benefits to human beings but often they present structural defects, physiological disorders and/or pathological processes that pose a danger to property and people. In this work we applied Precision Arboriculture approach at La Mandria regional park (Piedmont). UAV digital photogrammetry was used to retrieve tree parameters in a jointly use to multispectral satellite remote sensing (Copernicus Sentinel-2) to monitor the canopy health of trees. The adoption of biomechanical models has made it possible to assess the mechanical stability of the trunks and create a decision support system that create intervention priorities zones with the aim of reducing and optimizing ground tree inspections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spatial distribution of land use and soil loss in the hydrographic sub-basin of the Oued Ourtza (Eastern Prerif, Morocco) between 2000 and 2014 is the subject of this study. We have extracted the thematic information from satellite imagery for the mapping of land occupation and then used geographic information systems for the spatialisation of water erosion according to the universal equation for soil loss in its version adapted to Mediterranean conditions. The resulting maps show an increase in the areas of arboriculture and a significant abandonment of land (36.8 %). The soil losses are quite high (40 t·ha-1·yr-1) and well above the tolerance threshold; although they are similar to ablation rates in some areas of the Mediterranean environment and the Moroccan Rif. These losses are unevenly distributed, with the highest rates corresponding to uncultivated or abandoned land (>80 t·ha-1 ·yr-1) whose extension continues to increase, especially in the middle and lower reaches of the sub-basin where fragile materials dominate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This technical note provides an overview of arboriculture in Latin America, dealing with its evolution, recognized certifications, the arboriculture industry, availability of equipment, limitations, challenges and strategies. Arboriculture in Latin America has its own characteristics that must be considered in order to advance and develop. This technical note summarizes the discussion held on October 3, 2021, at XXIV Congresso Brasileiro de Arborização Urbana and III Congresso Internacional de Arborização Urbana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human Colonization of new lands implied historically the diffusion of new plant species and the exploitation of local plant resources and forests by human communities. Phoenician colonization in the 1st millennium BC had important consequences in Mediterranean agriculture and the exploitation of vegetation in colonized areas. Later, Roman agriculture introduced new changes. The anthracological analysis or charcoal analysis of the archaeological record of the site of Utica can inform us about the long term transformations in vegetation in North Africa. The original vegetation, consisting mainly of Pistacia lentiscus, would see its population reduced due to the implantation of non-intensive olive production in Phoenician and Punic periods. Nevertheless, since the Roman Imperial Period there was a strong decline of natural vegetation, in correlation of the important increment of olive trees, which indicate the presence of intensive oil production, mainly to be exported to Rome. Furthermore, the appearance of walnut trees presents novel data regarding the expansion of arboriculture throughout the Mediterranean in hand with the Phoenicians during the 1st millennium BC. The anthracological analysis of Utica presents important information regarding the natural vegetation that existed when the Phoenicians arrived, and the transformation that happened throughout time, corresponding to the management of the surrounding landscape during the Phoenician, Punic, and Roman periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of agricultural origins has been revolutionized by genomic science. Whole genome sequencing of plant domesticates opens a door to multiple new approaches by which the timing, nature, and geography of human selective pressures on the evolution of domesticated species might be detected. These new scientific pathways greatly enhance understandings of domestication as an evolutionary process, but they also renew long-standing questions for archaeologists about whether and how to perceive human agency in the ancient past of human–plant interspecies relations. Due to its importance as a global commercial crop, the apple (Malus x domestica Borkh.) was the tenth plant genome to be successfully sequenced in 2010. The genomic record of the apple reveals a deep history of human–plant co-evolution by unconscious selection, domestication through hybridization, and a phylogeographic origin in Central Asia. The first two of these insights document a domesticate that has evolved from protracted and unconscious processes, but the third—the identification of the progenitor Malus sieversii (Ledeb.) M. Roem. in Central Asia, and the necessary corollary that its hybridization arose along the 'Silk Road'—invites further discussion about the roles of human agency and intentionality in the initial stages of plant domestication. This paper presents a review of apple domestication studies in archaeology and genetics and considers the problematic of Central Asia and the Silk Road in the current paradigm shift of agricultural origins research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The risk assessment of urban trees is a challenge that must be addressed by many cities, in consideration of their climatology, management and spatial heterogeneity. Since these trees are in stages of aging, added to bad practices, inadequate selection and establishment, amongst others, their early elimination, and hence the loss of the ecosystem services they provide, is being promoted. For this reason, two tree risk assessment methods were developed to be applied in a complementary manner in urban parks, one basic visual (BV) and the other detailed visual (DV), both structured with the components of likelihood of failure, likelihood of impact, consequence and risk rating, being analyzed qualitatively and semi quantitatively. The methods were applied in 24 trees of Eucalyptus and Tipuana genus by two groups of assessors, experienced and inexperienced, totaling 192 assessments. Results were analyzed with a linear mixed model (LMM), which showed differences between both methods for the likelihood of failure, where the assessment of branches turned out to be the attribute with the highest impact. The methods proved to be suitable to be used in a complementary manner, since BV turns out to be efficient when it is necessary to assess a large number of trees. DV turned out to be more effective, since it was able to identify more precisely the attributes of the tree that must be considered for adequate risk mitigation and management. Therefore, their combined use is recommended for risk assessment in trees established in parks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need to reduce accident risks and physical effort of workers in urban tree pruning operations promotes a search for technologies with less execution cost. In this context, the aim of this study was to evaluate the operational performance of urban tree pruning with two aerial work platforms conducted in trees under public and private domain in Greater Asunción, Paraguay. The aerial work platforms evaluated were an articulated boom lift and truck mounted boom lift in three working envelopes levels. Work cycle times, operational efficiency, fuel consumption, and operating costs were determined through a time and motion study. Sampling consisted of 78 trees in which the mean values between the working envelope levels were compared by the Tukey test (α = 0.05). The longest consumed work cycle time was in pruning without machine base motion with a mean operational efficiency of 86.2 and 76.8% in the articulated boom lift and truck mounted boom lift, respectively. Fuel consumption increased with working envelope levels, and it was the highest in the truck mounted boom lift, from 7.33 to 9.33 L h-1 of diesel fuel, at USD 18.93 per hour. Therefore, the articulated boom lift and truck mounted boom lift evaluated in urban tree pruning presented different operating costs which increased with the highest range of motion level. The main reason for this was the engine operation intensification and energy expenditures required by the machines’ hydraulic system, especially in the truck mounted boom lift. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a new anthracological sequence from the archeological site of Niğde-Kınık Höyük, in southern Cappadocia (Turkey), spanning from the Late Bronze Age to the Ottoman Period, which provides important insights into the vegetation history of Cappadocia and its change through time. The local woody vegetation was composed of deciduous oaks, with an important contribution, especially in the earlier periods, of riparian trees (Salicaceae). Conifers played a minor role but indicate the possible presence of cedar and fir stands in the site’s vicinity. Starting in the mid-1st millennium BCE, wood charcoal data shows a well-defined and coherent anthracological phase characterized by abundant evidence of arboreal crops, especially grapevine. This evidence is here connected to the Beyşehir Occupation Phase phenomenon, and its economic and historic implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 1st millennium ce in the Iberian peninsula was characterized by a continuous exchange of people, goods, food, technology, etc. which led to the transformation of agriculture and the introduction of new crops there. This paper presents the archaeobotanical evidence of the plants that were introduced there during the Roman and medieval periods. Cereals such as Secale cereale (rye), Pennisetum glaucum (pearl millet) and Oryza sativa (rice) appeared for the first time in the archaeological record together with new fruit taxa, Prunus persica (peach), Morus nigra (black mulberry), Prunus armeniaca (apricot), Cydonia oblonga (quince), Mespilus germanica (medlar) and Citrus species, enriching the diet of the Iberian people. There were also fibre plants such as Cannabis sativa (hemp) that are now first recorded. The paper provides the first records of these taxa while awaiting further research that can offer more detailed information on whether some of them may also have been present in earlier periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current state of the Prunus ledebouriana (Schltdl.) Y.Y. Yao population growing at various altitudes on the shrub and steppe belts of the Tarbagatai ridge and its species composition were studied. The methods of floristic composition analysis were applied for the first time. The complete composition of accompanying species including Prunus ledebouriana was studied on the territory of Tarbagatai State National Park. The originality of this work was in creation of a distribution map for the Prunus ledebouriana population. Samples collected in the park from various sources were used as material. The results are presented in the form of a list including 511 species (52 families) that grow together with Prunus ledebouriana in this area. The leading families in terms of species number: Asteraceae Dumort. (75 species/ 35.2%), Fabaceae Lindl. (56 species/ 40.8%), Poaceae Barnhart. (52 species/ 32.5%), Rosaceae Juss. (43 species/ 44.3%), and Ranunculaceae Juss (39 species/ 50%). Species diversity of the families: Asteraceae Dumort. 22%, Fabaceae Lindl. 17%, Poaceae Barnhart. 16%, Rosaceae Juss. 13%, Ranunculaceae Juss. 12%, Brassicaceae Burnett. 7%, Apiaceae Lindl. 7%, and Scrophulariaceae Juss. 6% of all species growing with Prunus ledebouriana. The results of research can be used for species identification and organization of conservation activities for the rare plant species Prunus ledebouriana. The studied herbarium samples of Prunus ledebouriana (Institute of plant biology and biotechnology, Almaty, Kazakhstan) were transferred to the herbarium fund of the Institute of Botany and Phytointroduction (Almaty, Kazakhstan). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reduction pruning of the main stem is commonly used during the maintenance of power lines to encourage the establishment and development of scaffold limbs away from wires. Understanding the physiology of epicormic branch initiation and growth as well as wound compartmentalization following reduction pruning are important for optimizing the pruning cycle and maintaining healthy and safe trees. In this study, the influence of both intensity and time of year of pruning on epicormic branch response and wound compartmentalization was investigated on 56 11-year-old Pennsylvania ash trees (Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marsh.) about 5 to 7 m in height within a controlled nursery environment. During the second growing season following reduction of the main stem, the number, height, and volume of epicormic branches, as well as tallest epicormic branches and the area of discolored wood, increased with pruning intensity. Pruning during the leaf-on season compared to the leaf-off season limited the establishment and development of epicormic branches without affecting wound-closure rate or the area of wood discoloration at the cutting point. Results are consistent with the known seasonal fluctuation of carbohydrates reserves. In the context of the electrical distribution network, where trees are subjected to pruning throughout the year, trees pruned in summer during a maintenance cycle could be pruned during the next cycle, in winter, and so on, to optimize the return interval of the pruning cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our study deals with the characterization of oasis production systems in the South of Naâma through a typological analysis in order to identify their degree of structuring and the functioning of oasis farmers. Using the regional typology of farms and production and cultivation systems practiced in the atlas oasis of Naâma (South-Western Algeria) can be a scientific means to better understand regional diversity and operating strategies among farmers. To this end, exhaustive surveys have been carried out among oasis farmers with an investigation in the field with a view to integrating the various components of the production system including the cropping system, the breeding system, the means of production and the social aspect. It emerges from the typology carried out at the pre-Saharan oasis of Asla (south of Naâma), that the dominant production system is an oasis mountain agro-system practiced for centuries. This intensive three-stage cultivation system: phoeniciculture, fruit arboriculture and generalization of market gardening and fodder systems. In addition to its date production, since phoeniciculture predominates, the oasis system also offers a favorable environment for carrying out a polyculture of food in underlying strata, associated with family-type farming. It is based on the principles of agroecology and adapted to the aridity constraints of the region’s climate. The present analysis reveals that the production system in the south of Naâma, traditionally aimed at traditional peasant agriculture, has experienced a permanent decline and that it is even threatened with disappearance for the sustainability of this ancestral oasis heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article situates the rhetoric of tree sap that ran through French revolutionary discourse within the broader cultural contexts of eighteenth-century arboriculture and economic, medical, and political theory. By focusing on the history of the French liberty trees, I argue that sap (variably imagined) both signified and materially constituted the hopes and future well-being of the nation. The sap metaphor also facilitated reflections on the republic's social cohesiveness and commitment to equality, and it helped the French envision the political and ethical contours of the citizen-gardener's role within the revolutionary state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The systematization of street tree planting in twentieth-century cities went hand in hand with the development of the modern city's managerial system. In the systematization process, tree planting and care was serialized and standardized. To facilitate these procedures, tree locations and conditions began to be surveyed, planned, and recorded on paper. Focusing on street tree planting in East and West Berlin, this article examines the role of different paper formats, technologies, and representations such as lists, plans, maps, and index and edge-notched cards in the evolution of an increasingly regimented urban arboriculture. Paper was intricately related to both the life and death of the trees that it helped to document. As much as the malleable and variable nature and materiality of street trees contributed to an evolution of paper formats to capture the trees' changeable conditions, so the use of paper to control, regulate, and systematize also contributed to standardizing trees, their planting, and their care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This introduction to this special section, "Cities on Paper: On the Materiality of Paper in Urban Planning," explores the vital role played by paper documents in the practice of urban planning linked to the shaping of modern cities in Europe and the United States during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. This introductory essay considers recent literature on the materiality of paper to show the significance of examining the visual and written information transcribed on its surface in concert with assessing how it has been assembled, organized, reproduced, circulated, distributed, and archived. By exploring such uses of paper documents in urban planning practices, such cartography, arboriculture, maintenance, and the production and dissemination of expert knowledge, the five essays in this section demonstrate the relevance of the material culture of paper within the municipal and national bureaucracies that spearheaded dramatic urbanization campaigns in modern cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trees provide an array of social, economic, and ecological benefits; furthermore, trees on public land are critical for providing those benefits to people who cannot afford their own trees. It is important to know how managers make trade-offs and prioritize different tree selection criteria in order to target educational campaigns at the state or regional level. Primary contacts for Tree City USA designated cities were surveyed across the Pacific Northwest. Of these municipalities, 79 out of 151 responded (52.3% response rate), with 6 municipalities providing responses from different departments for a total of 85 responses. Currently, there are primarily descriptive statistics in relation to tree species selection. This study provides a framework for future statistical analysis and greater exploration of how municipalities and managers are selecting tree species. Results were analyzed with a Mann-Whitney U test to compare International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborists ® to those who are not certified across various tree species selection criteria. Another Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare small (≤ 50,000) and large (> 50,000) municipalities across the same criteria. ISA Certified Arborists® showed statistically significant differences from those who are not certified in a number of tree species selection criteria. ISA Certified Arborists® also differed in urban forest management on a city-wide scale, particularly in favoring greater tree species diversity. The differences in urban forest management between ISA Certified Arborists® and noncertified-and between municipality sizes-can help to influence future educational campaigns targeted toward increasing urban forest health and resiliency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The detrimental effects of the urbanization process on urban tree development provoke the search for alternatives to minimize damage and maintain benefits provided by urban forests. The present study aimed to characterize different forms of expression and increase of vigor in Lagerstroemia indica L. After measuring vegetative, physiological and blooming vigor in the 2016 growing season, liming and subsequent treatments of increasing phosphorus dosages at 50, 100, 150 and 200% of the initial soil content were applied to trees. During the 2017 growing season, we measured the vigor conditions to evaluate the effects of fertilization on the trees. For the variables branch length, average distance internodes, leaf area, width and length of flowering, the highest phosphate fertilization (200%) dosage provided the highest mean values, while the variables dark green color and chlorophyll a and b were unaffected by the treatments. In conclusion, the vegetative and flowering vigor significantly increased from fertilization, while the physiological vigor did not respond to fertilizer application, with the application of 10 mg/dm? of P providing the highest vigor expression in L. indica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agroforestry systems have long played a central role in Polynesian societies, contributing to food production, building and craft production, and ritual activities. Until recently, however, archaeological studies of these important systems were limited. Recent methodological improvements and a growing number of macro- and micro-botanical studies have provided opportunities for a more empirical exploration of the role of agroforestry in pre-European Polynesia. Here we integrate the findings of several key studies to assess the qualities and contributions of agroforestry across the region. We highlight the expansive and enduring qualities of these systems and contrast them with other forms of production used in this region. Overall, processes of novel forest formation in Polynesia shared key characteristics that affected a suite of activities ranging from subsistence practices to the construction of cultural landscapes. Integration of agroforestry research ultimately provides a nuanced understanding of landscape transformations that are broadly characteristic of island socio-ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Planting rectilinear regularly spaced and low-diversity rows of trees along sidewalks is the dominant streetscaping practice in Western cities. Street trees provide shade, pleasant pedestrian environments, and ecological benefits. I interrogate the origin of this surprisingly stable practice by exploring the last 600 years of street tree planting in Paris. Paris' iconic tree-lined boulevards have influenced streetscapes worldwide. This model of royal and imperial origins stems from, and reproduces, a complex mode of human-nature relations involving biophilia, the use of orderly nature as a symbolic commodity and, more recently, ecological stewardship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Woody biomass feedstock is suitable for direct combustion, gasification, pyrolysis, ethanol or methanol production yielding heat, charcoal, pyrolysis oil, green electricity and bio-propellants. However, there are several issues concerning the environmental, social and economic sustainability of woody biomass production connected to land use, protection of wildlife habitats, conservation and remediation of landscapes. Establishing energy plantations on arable lands or on grasslands is generally considered as working against nature conservation, while setting them up in polluted areas or wastelands could be advantageous for wildlife, because of 1. more permanent cover that provides shelter and biomass for feeding, which is especially important in winter periods; 2. higher architectural complexity of vegetation providing more place for nesting and feeding for wildlife; 3. exploiting the advantages of root filtration, phytoremediation, or using less chemicals; 4. forbs in the undergrowth and young shoots able to provide better quality food for wildlife than the intensive monocultures. The solution is a complex management system, including land use, phytoremediation, waste and wastewater management and ecosystem-based planning incorporated in one dynamic structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]