Start Date
11/06/2023
End Date
11/05/2025
Description
The Urban Forest Soil Genomics Workshop will be presented on five topics by experts in their areas: arboriculture, engineering, soil microbiome, soil genomics, horticulture, agriculture, and microbiology. The intent is to build awareness of the importance of healthy soils and how to improve tree growth in the "urban forest.”
1. The Trees Where People Live. People have needed trees since the time of human existence. People change the environment where we live, and this can have an impact on growing trees. This session discusses the benefits and importance of trees and community forests to people. Then we share how to grow trees where people live sustainably.
Speaker: Gordon Mann, Arboriculture and Community Forestry Coordinator at The Institute of Soil Genomics for Healthy Community Forestry
2. Urban Environments = Stresses for Trees. Why is it so hard to maintain trees in urban environments? We will discuss the factors that positively and negatively affect the health of the community forests, such as soil/water/air interactions, soil compaction, deicing salt, over-and under-watering, pollutants, chemicals, and temperature (heat island effect). Then we share the missing part to grow better trees.
Speaker: Wei Zhang, Ph.D., Education Coordinator at The Institute of Soil Genomics for Healthy Community Forestry
3. Let Soil Genomics Reveal the Secrets of Healthy Urban Forestry. Don't Guess it, Test it! This session is an overview of soil genomics testing. Examples of soil genomics testing result from typical urban environments and a healthy forest will be used to explain why it is so difficult to grow trees in “Urban Forests.” And how to fix it.
Speaker: Nick Castro, Director of Soil Genomics at The Institute of Soil Genomics for Healthy Community Forestry
4. Soil Microbiome: What Urban Trees Are Missing. Knowing what is missing in the urban soil, it is in our hands to fix it. We review technologies that can help mitigate these negative impacts and boost the soil microbiome and the underground community. We want you to know how to fix it.
Speaker: Lawrence Dean Alberty, Director of Strategic Planning at The Institute of Soil Genomics for Healthy Community Forestry
6. Q&A The workshop concludes with discussions, questions, and feedback from the audience about their practices in their local climate and environment.
Distance Learning
Yes
Course Equivalency
No
Subjects
Agriculture / Local Food Production
Campus Planning & Design
Design-Build
Development Trends
Horticulture / Plants
Housing & Community Design
Parks & Recreation
Remediation / Brownfields
Residential Design
Rural Landscape
Health, Safety and Welfare
Yes
Hours
4.0
Learning Outcomes
1. Learn what makes native environments best for trees when there is no human being involved.
2. Discuss why trees are essential to people and how people change the environment for trees
3. Learn and discuss the stresses near the built environment, such as soil/water/air interactions, soil compaction, deicing salt, over-and under-watering, pollutants, chemicals, and temperature (heat island effect).
4. Learn what is soil genomics testing and how can it reveal the secrets of healthy urban forests.
5. Learn what one can do to reverse the negative trend of soil microbiome and boost the soil microbiome and the underground microbial community that will ensure the success of urban forests.
Instructors
Kimberley Lovelace-Hainsfurther,, Gordon Mann, Wei Zhang, Ph.D. Lawrence Dean Alberty, and Nick Castro
Course Codes
Provider
Zynnovation LLC