A Protocol for Citizen Science Monitoring of Recently-Planted Urban Trees

Authors

Jessica M. Vogt, Center for the Study of Institutions, Population and Environmental Change, Indiana University, BloomingtonFollow
Burnell C. Fischer, The Vincent and Elinor Ostrom Workshop in Political Theory and Policy Analysis, and Center for the Study of Institutions, Population and Environmental Change, Indiana University, BloomingtonFollow

In this article, we present a protocol for citizen science monitoring of planted urban trees. Informed by social-ecological systems, urban forestry, and tree physiology research, the Planted Tree Re-Inventory Protocol is designed to allow minimally-trained volunteers or citizen scientists to collect data about the factors that influence urban tree survival and growth. We consider characteristics of the tree, the biophysical environment, institutions and management, and the community as factors that influence urban forest outcomes. Here, we reflect on tree planting organizations and their desire and capacity for monitoring. Then we define citizen science and review its use in urban forestry to date. Next we discuss the measurement of urban tree outcomes (survival and growth), and summarize the literature on factors influencing tree success and urban forest outcomes. Finally we present an overview of the main categories of variables included the Protocol. The entire Protocol is available on the Bloomington Urban Forestry Research Group website (http://www.indiana.edu/~cipec/research/bufrg_protocol) and as an Appendix to this paper.

Recommended Citation

Vogt, Jessica M. and Fischer, Burnell C. (2014) "A Protocol for Citizen Science Monitoring of Recently-Planted Urban Trees," Cities and the Environment (CATE): Vol. 7: Iss. 2, Article 4.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/cate/vol7/iss2/4