Minnesota Shade Tree Short Course

Minnesota Shade Tree Short Course

53rd Annual Minnesota Shade Tree Short Course
March 17-18, 2015
Bethel University, Arden Hills

Diversity and Urban Forestry

A lesson in smart economics always includes diversity; diversity in resources, worker skills, products, vendors, and clients. Lessons in diversity for managers of urban forests and trees have ranged from cruel and unforgiving to a breath of fresh air and hope! Our landscapes with multiple tree species and a mix of young and old trees will continue to thrive while those dominated by only a few favorite trees will soon be starting over.

Job descriptions, duties, and required skills haven’t escaped the influence of diversity either. Successful arborists are not only skilled at pruning and removing trees, they have become skilled at diagnosing problems in tree biomechanics and hazard tree identification, and at promoting their services through social media. Municipal urban foresters have become stormwater managers, adept at conducting tree inventories and assessing tree canopy cover, and educators.

Urban forests do not favor males to females, youthfulness to maturity, or one alma mater to the next. Look closely at this year’s program and how diversity is at every turn. Figure out how you can best use your time to redefine and diversify your professional skills, cultivate new friendships, and sustain old ones. And most of all, welcome back.

Gary Johnson
Minnesota Shade Tree Short Course, chairperson