Treesearch

Palms (family Arecaceae) can make up a significant portion of the urban forest in the climates where they are viable. Despite this, they are rarely included in the urban forest growth and longevity literature. One difficulty associated with including palms in research is an absence of a standard means for characterizing tree health or condition. Whether used as a measured response of its own or incorporated as a predictor of future mortality, standardized and meaningful health ratings are needed to advance the care and management of palms in urban areas. In this short communication, we...

This report presents a compilation of research conducted on the life-cycle assessment analysis for processing raw material woody biomass into biochar activated carbon (AC) and synthesis gas (syngas) for electricity production. The study was part of the United States Department of Agriculture Biomass Research and Development Initiative project with a broader goal of an integrated assessment of biomass feedstock production, logistics, conversion, distribution, and end use focused on a novel thermochemical conversion system using woody biomass feedstocks. Cradle-to-grave analysis of the...

This paper discusses contributions developed at the Forest Products Laboratory that have advanced utilization of the Weibull distribution in wood engineering. The increased use of the Weibull distribution in wood engineering primarily occurred since 1975. The goals of this paper are to (1) unite, clarify, and simplify information published in several sources into a cohesive summary, (2) advance the use of this research through corrections of misinterpretations and errors of some earlier publications, and (3) introduce some potential new concerns about the use of the Weibull distribution in...

The 2nd Mass Timber Research Needs Assessment was held on November 13–14, 2018, at the USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory (FPL). The workshop was co-sponsored by FPL, WoodWorks, and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities. The purpose of the workshop was to gather a diverse group of people with expertise in mass timber, in particular cross-laminated timber, to discuss and prioritize research needed to move the mass timber industry forward in North America. The workshop was attended by more than 100 design professionals, researchers, manufacturers, industry leaders, and...

Urban tree planting initiatives can experience high levels of mortality during establishment years. Mortality tied to the stresses of transplanting can be partially negated or exacerbated depending on the species selected, nursery materials used, site conditions present, and management practices employed. Past research has quantified post-planting survival, health, and growth. However, varying climates, species, land use types, and management practices warrant additional region-specific research. The purpose of this study is to assess the success of plantings along Florida highways and...

Street tree inventories are a critical component of urban forest management. However, inventories conducted in the field by trained professionals are expensive and time-consuming. Inventories relying on citizen scientists or virtual surveys conducted remotely using street-level photographs may greatly reduce the costs of street tree inventories, but there are fundamental uncertainties regarding the level of data quality that can be expected from these emerging approaches to data collection. We asked 16 volunteers to inventory street trees in suburban Chicago using Google Street ViewTM...

Many cities around the world have set ambitious urban tree canopy cover goals, with the expectation that urban forests will provide ecosystem services as functional green infrastructure. Numerous studies have examined intra-city spatial patterns in urban tree canopy (UTC) and found that UTC relates to socioeconomic indicators and urban form. Additionally, a few studies have shown local regulations can be linked to increased tree cover. However, the relationship between UTC and governance across different cities has not been well-explored. To address this gap, we compared the management...

Stewardship is essential for the survival of trees planted in challenging urban conditions and for reaching canopy cover goals and anticipated benefits. The governance structure of the stewardship network can dictate stewardship efficacy and ultimately, tree survival. While many planting initiatives are managed locally, the stewardship network and survival rates of a state-managed initiative are not commonly addressed in scholarly literature. The Greening the Gateway Cities Program (GGCP) in Massachusetts is planting thousands of trees in post-industrial cities around the state. We carried...

Urban forest modeling is becoming increasingly complex, global, and transdisciplinary. Increased modeling of urban forest structure and function presents an urgent need for comparative studies to assess the similarities and differences between modeling techniques and applications. This paper provides a systematic review of 242 journal papers over the past two-decades, and identifies 476 case studies. We assess model case studies among different locations, units and scales, compare the ability and functional capacity of the models and different tools, compare papers published in different...

This Statistical Process Control (SPC) Handbook introduces wood preservation industry personnel to the terminology and statistical process control (SPC) tools available for understanding and monitoring industrial processes. For those who want further information, references are provided at the end of each section. The content is for educational purposes only. The use of trade or firm names in this publication is for reader information and does not imply endorsement by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) or The University of Tennessee of any product or service. This Handbook...