New eLearning Program Targets Allied Professionals to Urban Forestry

As most of us know, healthy urban forests require a strong investment, and not just from the individuals and communities who benefit directly from these forests, but also from the professionals providing the expertise and care to support them. With that in mind, are you a landscape architect, city planner, public works employee, or designer working in urban forest management or arboriculture? Do you wish you knew more about what it takes to select, plant, and maintain trees in urban areas, to ensure their maximum benefit? Well, now you can with eLearn Urban Forestry, a state-of-the-art online learning opportunity designed specifically for those working in but not classically trained in urban forestry.

eLearn Urban Forestry is accessible online, at your convenience, from the comfort of your desktop, laptop, or Flash-supported mobile device. All content can be accessed for free or inexpensively for continuing education units with Society of American Foresters and the International Society of Arboriculture.

eLearn Urban Forestry covers everything from understanding the biology of a single tree to managing the urban forest as a whole from an ecosystem perspective. Topics covered include:

Module 1:  Costs and Benefits of the Urban Forest

Module 2:  Tree Growth and Development

Module 3:  Urban Soils

Module 4:  Site, Tree Selection, and Planting

Module 5:  Arboriculture

Module 6:  Assessing and Managing Tree Risk

Module 7:  Tree Disorder, Diagnosis, and Management

Module 8:  Trees and Construction

Module 9:  Public Policy and Urban Forestry

Module 10:  Urban Forest Management

 

You can access eLearn Urban Forestry a number of ways, depending on your needs. Access eLearn Urban Forestry for free volunteer credit and/or a certificate of completion by visiting campus.extension.org.  Access the site for credit from the International Society of Arboriculture and Society of American Foresters, by visiting cfegroup.org. You can also review modules for free by visiting elearn.sref.info.

 

By: Sarah Ashton, Education Program Specialist, Southern Regional Extension Forestry