Schofield, Jay, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Susquehanna University, 106 Hardwood Court, Chalfont, PA, 18914, schofield@susqu.edu; Ressler, Daniel, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Susquehanna University; 514 University Ave Selinsgrove PA, 17870, resslerd@susqu.edu.
Landscape trees are an important part of both the aesthetic appeal and environmental health of college campuses. The Arbor Day Foundation has a Tree Campus Higher Education project that focuses on empowering campuses to lead the way in sustainability, student engagement, and long-term community impact. This study focuses on the impact of human structures on tree health and will help to create a plan to encourage a healthy and diverse tree community on campus while minimizing tree losses due to poor health and growing conditions. Data will be collected using ArcGIS to record the species, size, and health of campus trees and their proximity to campus structures. 400 trees have been surveyed this year in the core academic areas with another 600 planned to be surveyed in the residential areas on campus. The results of this study will be presented to the community to further ecological education and engage the community by developing a program that highlights the environmental and ecological value of urban forests while also completing the criteria for the Tree Campus Higher Education project.
Urban forestry, Tree health, ArcGIS, Environmental Education