DRAFT PROPOSAL

THE LIFE OF URBAN TREES
(©D. Garlovsky – david@solar-active.com)

The purpose of this proposal is to secure funding to convene education sessions to ensure that a large, diverse group of people will learn how to care for the urban forest by informing people about the life of urban trees.

Participants will gain an understanding of how trees are critical to achieve significant improvements to the urban environment and to the quality of life – the health and well being in cities and towns. While reconciling the urban environment with the natural environment is essential to reconcile urban people with the natural environment.

Extensive evidence shows that tree planting are the single most cost effective way of controlling CO², create noise barriers and wind break and affect the urban microclimate. A single mature tree can absorb carbon at a rate of 21.6kg/year, improve air quality and provide habitats for wildlife. A large tree can lift up to 380 litres of water out of the ground and discharge it into the air in a day. Trees play an important role in the daily life of the urban resident.

The goal is to educate the general public about the numerous benefits of trees thereby stimulating a love and respect for trees and nature; and to plant trees, including shade, ornamental, evergreen, and fruit trees, on both public and private property, thereby ensuring sustainability of the urban forest.

The sessions will provide educational skills, networking opportunities for residents interested in tree care. It is intended to recruit and train volunteers as “neighbourhood tree carers” who will help maintain their public street trees in shaping the visual and physical aspects of city streets.

An education pack will be created and given to all participants. A website page will be designed in which the education pack will be available on line.

Contents of education pack: Classroom and field activities with worksheets – relevance to the national curriculum outcomes: tree identification guide, tree planting (a sapling and how to collect and grow acorns) and care, measuring trees and recording and displaying results, creating a tree trail, how a tree works – tree life cycle, OPAL tree health survey (e.g. pests and diseases, threats to our trees), survey of saplings planted in Sheffield, HPS/LED lamps effects on trees, life of the rain forest, useful books, websites, addresses and links: (e.g. whatcharity.com/charity/trees-for-cities/overview)

The audience/end-users for workshops and presentations: primary and secondary schools, colleges and university landscape courses, Scouts, Woodcraft Folk, STAG, community, Sheffield tree & youth groups.

Funding/sponsorship/support: Funds 4 Trees and Crowd funding, a nursery (e.g. New LEAF) for saplings, Woodland Trust, Forestry Commission.

Venues: Sheffield Central Library for sessions for general public. University and College for landscape students and community venues for other groups.