Seminar #98 from Online Seminars for Municipal Arborists
April - June 2023
Sections Go directly to the section by clicking on the title below
April - June 2023
Sections Go directly to the section by clicking on the title below
Note: Click on green text in each section for more information and photos.
Climate Imperative
Edited by Len Phillips
Forests cover about 30 percent of the Earth's land mass and host about 80 percent of the world’s biodiversity. They provide subsistence, employment opportunities and income to a quarter of the world’s population, not to mention storing vast amounts of carbon.
A new report has just been released that suggests that New England’s 32 million acres of forests, which cover about three-quarters of the six New England states, could eventually come close to absorbing 100% of all the carbon produced by these six states. The states are Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
The report, “New England’s Climate Imperative”, was commissioned by a prominent conservation nonprofit and led by a Harvard ecologist. The report looked at how forests in the region are being utilized in the fight against climate change.
Most people know that forest trees can be a help to moderate climate change, but beyond that there is not a lot of clarity about what their role is specifically. There is a need, despite all the many climate reports that come out, for a specific estimate on the role that forests could play if you add up all different climate change activities that forests are expected to moderate.
The New England region’s forested areas already absorb almost 27 million tons of carbon annually through photosynthesis. The report lays out five steps policymakers and conservation organizations can pursue that lead to forests absorbing almost 360 million additional tons of carbon dioxide over the next 30 years. That means New England’s forests will be able to absorb virtually all the carbon produced in the region, provided the six states hit their existing emission-reduction goals. The report also created five recommendations on steps they have or hope to take to use trees and forests in the region to reduce carbon.
The five steps include changing development practices to reduce annual rates of forest destruction:
1) designating at least 10% of the existing forests as forever wild;
2) allowing more trees to grow old and accumulate more carbon;
3) improving forest management;
4) replacing concrete and steel with timber materials in half of all new institutional buildings and multifamily
homes;
5) taking actions on urban and suburban forests to increase tree canopy and forest cover in cities and suburbs.
The researchers ran the metrics on how each step would contribute to reducing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere at different tiers of implementation. In the report, they broke it down by state and then calculated them together.
Each of these steps offer a way to pull more carbon out of the atmosphere. These pathways are very much all-of-the above-type solutions. There are a lot of forests in New England, and there is a role for multiple different strategies to meet climate goals. Cities however, have not all gotten the message that many more trees need to be planted in the downtown areas as well as the suburban and rural residential areas.
For example, if even moderately implemented, the strategies would boost the amount of carbon New England forests absorb each year from the equivalent of 14% of 2020-level fossil fuel emissions to 20%. That increase would eventually jump to 97% by 2050 if all individual emission reduction scenarios are met by the states.
The researchers admit that some of their recommendations may seem contradictory, such as promoting policies that avoid deforestation and creating more wild-land while also promoting an increase in construction using timber. But studies and metrics have shown that the numbers make it worthwhile.
Timber building materials, for instance, are much less carbon-intensive than steel or concrete. They also store carbon through the life of the building. The researchers calculate that if half of six- to 12-story buildings used wooden frames, an additional 15 million U.S. tons of carbon could be stored.
The report, which took two years to compile, seeks to inform legislators and policymakers throughout New England as they pursue state-level climate goals.
With Earth perilously close to eclipsing the 1.5-degree Celsius increase in average annual temperatures that climate scientists say will cause irreparable harm to society and nature, the researchers note that while technological approaches exist to reduce carbon in the atmosphere, none of them rival forests. They hope lawmakers will take heed and take action.
If the cities can conserve forest infrastructure and embrace the pathways outlined in the report, New England can increase forest carbon sequestration and help all six states achieve their emissions targets. If the suburbs could plant more trees and preserve the existing trees, the emissions targets could exceed their targets.
The test that follows contains 10 questions. Before taking the test be sure you have read the article carefully. The passing grade is 80% on the entire test.
ISA will award .5 CEUs* for a passing grade. SAF members will earn 0.5 Cat. 1-CF for every five passing test scores. The cost for taking this test is $10. If you purchase an annual subscription for 15 credits, the cost per credit is reduced by 50% (see Annual Subscription link below). We will report all passing test scores to ISA and/or SAF. If you are a member of ISA and SAF we will report your passing test scores to both for no additional cost. Please be sure to add both of your certification numbers when you sign in. Tests with passing scores may be submitted only once to each organization.
*Members of ISA may apply the 0.5 CEUs toward Certified Arborist, Municipal Specialist, Tree Worker/Climber, Utility Worker, Tree Worker/Aerial Lift, or BCMA science credits.
California UFC members will receive credit for passing the test. Please add your CaUFC number after your ISA and/or SAF certification number.
ASCA members may submit your ISA certification record to the ASCA and receive credits one for one.
MTOA members must follow the ISA instructions indicated above.
To take the test by the pay per test option, click on the 'Pay Now' button below where you can send payment online securely with your credit card or Pay Pal account. After your payment is submitted, click on ‘Return to Merchant' / gibneyCE.com. That will take you to the test sign in page followed by the test. Members with certifications from both ISA and SAF, please be sure to add both of your certification numbers. These numbers are important for reporting purposes.
To take the test as an annual subscriber with reduced rates, click on Password and enter your test password which will take you to the test sign in page. If you would like to become a subscriber see our Annual Subscription page for details.
When you have finished answering all questions you will be prompted to click ‘next’ to send your answers to gibneyCE.com. You can then click ‘next’ to view your test summary. A test review of your answers is available upon request.
All passing test scores are sent from gibneyCE.com to your organization(s) at the end of every month and they will appear on your certification record 4 to 6 weeks* after that. ISA maintains a record of CEU credits on their website.
*SAF requires 5 passing test scores before reporting.
Test re-takes are allowed, however you will have to pay for the retake if you are using the pay per test option. You can spend as much time as you would like to take the test but it is important not to leave the test site until you have answered all the questions and see the 'sending your answers' response.
Edited by Len Phillips
Forests cover about 30 percent of the Earth's land mass and host about 80 percent of the world’s biodiversity. They provide subsistence, employment opportunities and income to a quarter of the world’s population, not to mention storing vast amounts of carbon.
A new report has just been released that suggests that New England’s 32 million acres of forests, which cover about three-quarters of the six New England states, could eventually come close to absorbing 100% of all the carbon produced by these six states. The states are Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
The report, “New England’s Climate Imperative”, was commissioned by a prominent conservation nonprofit and led by a Harvard ecologist. The report looked at how forests in the region are being utilized in the fight against climate change.
Most people know that forest trees can be a help to moderate climate change, but beyond that there is not a lot of clarity about what their role is specifically. There is a need, despite all the many climate reports that come out, for a specific estimate on the role that forests could play if you add up all different climate change activities that forests are expected to moderate.
The New England region’s forested areas already absorb almost 27 million tons of carbon annually through photosynthesis. The report lays out five steps policymakers and conservation organizations can pursue that lead to forests absorbing almost 360 million additional tons of carbon dioxide over the next 30 years. That means New England’s forests will be able to absorb virtually all the carbon produced in the region, provided the six states hit their existing emission-reduction goals. The report also created five recommendations on steps they have or hope to take to use trees and forests in the region to reduce carbon.
The five steps include changing development practices to reduce annual rates of forest destruction:
1) designating at least 10% of the existing forests as forever wild;
2) allowing more trees to grow old and accumulate more carbon;
3) improving forest management;
4) replacing concrete and steel with timber materials in half of all new institutional buildings and multifamily
homes;
5) taking actions on urban and suburban forests to increase tree canopy and forest cover in cities and suburbs.
The researchers ran the metrics on how each step would contribute to reducing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere at different tiers of implementation. In the report, they broke it down by state and then calculated them together.
Each of these steps offer a way to pull more carbon out of the atmosphere. These pathways are very much all-of-the above-type solutions. There are a lot of forests in New England, and there is a role for multiple different strategies to meet climate goals. Cities however, have not all gotten the message that many more trees need to be planted in the downtown areas as well as the suburban and rural residential areas.
For example, if even moderately implemented, the strategies would boost the amount of carbon New England forests absorb each year from the equivalent of 14% of 2020-level fossil fuel emissions to 20%. That increase would eventually jump to 97% by 2050 if all individual emission reduction scenarios are met by the states.
The researchers admit that some of their recommendations may seem contradictory, such as promoting policies that avoid deforestation and creating more wild-land while also promoting an increase in construction using timber. But studies and metrics have shown that the numbers make it worthwhile.
Timber building materials, for instance, are much less carbon-intensive than steel or concrete. They also store carbon through the life of the building. The researchers calculate that if half of six- to 12-story buildings used wooden frames, an additional 15 million U.S. tons of carbon could be stored.
The report, which took two years to compile, seeks to inform legislators and policymakers throughout New England as they pursue state-level climate goals.
With Earth perilously close to eclipsing the 1.5-degree Celsius increase in average annual temperatures that climate scientists say will cause irreparable harm to society and nature, the researchers note that while technological approaches exist to reduce carbon in the atmosphere, none of them rival forests. They hope lawmakers will take heed and take action.
If the cities can conserve forest infrastructure and embrace the pathways outlined in the report, New England can increase forest carbon sequestration and help all six states achieve their emissions targets. If the suburbs could plant more trees and preserve the existing trees, the emissions targets could exceed their targets.
The test that follows contains 10 questions. Before taking the test be sure you have read the article carefully. The passing grade is 80% on the entire test.
ISA will award .5 CEUs* for a passing grade. SAF members will earn 0.5 Cat. 1-CF for every five passing test scores. The cost for taking this test is $10. If you purchase an annual subscription for 15 credits, the cost per credit is reduced by 50% (see Annual Subscription link below). We will report all passing test scores to ISA and/or SAF. If you are a member of ISA and SAF we will report your passing test scores to both for no additional cost. Please be sure to add both of your certification numbers when you sign in. Tests with passing scores may be submitted only once to each organization.
*Members of ISA may apply the 0.5 CEUs toward Certified Arborist, Municipal Specialist, Tree Worker/Climber, Utility Worker, Tree Worker/Aerial Lift, or BCMA science credits.
California UFC members will receive credit for passing the test. Please add your CaUFC number after your ISA and/or SAF certification number.
ASCA members may submit your ISA certification record to the ASCA and receive credits one for one.
MTOA members must follow the ISA instructions indicated above.
To take the test by the pay per test option, click on the 'Pay Now' button below where you can send payment online securely with your credit card or Pay Pal account. After your payment is submitted, click on ‘Return to Merchant' / gibneyCE.com. That will take you to the test sign in page followed by the test. Members with certifications from both ISA and SAF, please be sure to add both of your certification numbers. These numbers are important for reporting purposes.
To take the test as an annual subscriber with reduced rates, click on Password and enter your test password which will take you to the test sign in page. If you would like to become a subscriber see our Annual Subscription page for details.
When you have finished answering all questions you will be prompted to click ‘next’ to send your answers to gibneyCE.com. You can then click ‘next’ to view your test summary. A test review of your answers is available upon request.
All passing test scores are sent from gibneyCE.com to your organization(s) at the end of every month and they will appear on your certification record 4 to 6 weeks* after that. ISA maintains a record of CEU credits on their website.
*SAF requires 5 passing test scores before reporting.
Test re-takes are allowed, however you will have to pay for the retake if you are using the pay per test option. You can spend as much time as you would like to take the test but it is important not to leave the test site until you have answered all the questions and see the 'sending your answers' response.
Important Considerations When Planting BR Trees
Edited by Len Phillips
When transplanting trees, there are several options. Balled and burlapped (B&B) and container grown trees are the most commonly purchased from a nursery. Most people know how to plant a tree with the roots in a container or dug from a nursery with the soil and roots wrapped in burlapped material. However professional tree planters will take advantage of purchasing trees bare root because they are half the price of container grown and B&B trees.
There are some key considerations when planting bare-root trees based on information from South Dakota State University research studies:
1) Most bare-root trees are susceptible to drying out because their roots are exposed to the elements. It is not
the visible roots that are the problem, it is the tiny root hairs that are barely visible to the naked eye that are the
key to a quick recovery from transplanting. The most important solution to this problem is keeping the roots
moist at ALL times until the tree is in the ground. (I tell my bare root planting crew that every 30 seconds the
bare roots are exposed to sun and wind, cuts the likelihood of tree survival in half.)
2) Most trees require daily watering and keeping the roots protected from sun and wind. In addition, some trees
are sensitive to having bare roots exposed to sun and air might need to be treated to a process called
“sweating”.
Bare-root trees must never have the little root hairs left to dry or be exposed to the sun. This exposure can cause desiccation injury that will result in a poor survival and growth rate. Bare-root trees must be kept cool, about 40°F (4° C) until planting, and the roots must be covered with a damp packing material. Ideally the tree would go directly from the packing material into a planting hole that is quickly filled with water and the roots covered with soil.
The shorter the time between being removed from the packing material and into the planting hole, the better. Even a five minute exposure on a hot, windy day can kill the tiny root hairs. If possible, hydrate the roots by placing them in a tank of water for one to two hours before planting. Only have the roots covered with water, not the tops. Also do not allow the trees to remain in water for more than two hours, longer time periods may result in root mortality by suffocation.
Sweating
Some bare-root trees require sweating before being planted. The list of tree species that require this sweating process is fairly short. Bare-root birch (Betula), hawthorn (Crataegus), honeylocust (Gleditsia), ironwood (Carpinus), and oaks (Quercus), all require sweating. If removed from a cooler and directly planted into the field or landscape without sweating, these trees often fail to break bud and may remain dormant far into the summer and either leaf out very late or not at all.
The sweating process involves laying the tree stock down in a shaded area, preferably on the north side of a building, or better yet, in the building. Begin by covering the roots with wet packing material such as straw or fine woodchips and sealing the entire plant, tops and roots, with a sheet of clear plastic that is held tight to the ground. The daytime air temperature should be between 50° and 60° F (10° and 16° C). Once the sweating process has started, the buds on the trees in this “mini sauna” will begin to swell within a few days due to the moderate temperatures and high humidity.
Once the buds begin to swell remove the trees from the sweating process and plant them as quickly as possible. However, if planting these trees into cool conditions, the expanding buds will continue to open but very slowly. The sweat treated trees should be planted in humid, warm, but not hot conditions and these conditions may occur any time from March to mid-May. Therefore, keep bare-root oak and other species that require sweating, in the cooler until early May, and then sweat them for a week. By then the conditions outside should be acceptable for planting these bare-root trees directly into the field.
Source
The test that follows contains 10 questions. Before taking the test be sure you have read the article carefully. The passing grade is 80% on the entire test.
ISA will award .5 CEUs* for a passing grade. SAF members will earn 0.5 Cat. 1-CF for every five passing test scores. The cost for taking this test is $10. If you purchase an annual subscription for 15 credits, the cost per credit is reduced by 50% (see Annual Subscription link below). We will report all passing test scores to ISA and/or SAF. If you are a member of ISA and SAF we will report your passing test scores to both for no additional cost. Please be sure to add both of your certification numbers when you sign in. Tests with passing scores may be submitted only once to each organization.
*Members of ISA may apply the 0.5 CEUs toward Certified Arborist, Municipal Specialist, Tree Worker/Climber, Utility Worker, Tree Worker/Aerial Lift, or BCMA practice credits.
California UFC members will receive credit for passing the test. Please add your CaUFC number after your ISA and/or SAF certification number.
ASCA members may submit your ISA certification record to the ASCA and receive credits one for one.
MTOA members must follow the ISA instructions indicated above.
To take the test by the pay per test option, click on the 'Pay Now' button below where you can send payment online securely with your credit card or Pay Pal account. After your payment is submitted, click on ‘Return to Merchant' / gibneyCE.com. That will take you to the test sign in page followed by the test. Members with certifications from both ISA and SAF, please be sure to add both of your certification numbers. These numbers are important for reporting purposes.
To take the test as an annual subscriber with reduced rates, click on Password and enter your test password which will take you to the test sign in page. If you would like to become a subscriber see our Annual Subscription page for details.
When you have finished answering all questions you will be prompted to click ‘next’ to send your answers to gibneyCE.com. You can then click ‘next’ to view your test summary. A test review of your answers is available upon request.
All passing test scores are sent from gibneyCE.com to your organization(s) at the end of every month and they will appear on your certification record 4 to 6 weeks* after that. ISA maintains a record of CEU credits on their website.
*SAF requires 5 passing test scores before reporting.
Test re-takes are allowed, however you will have to pay for the retake if you are using the pay per test option. You can spend as much time as you would like to take the test but it is important not to leave the test site until you have answered all the questions and see the 'sending your answers' response.
Edited by Len Phillips
When transplanting trees, there are several options. Balled and burlapped (B&B) and container grown trees are the most commonly purchased from a nursery. Most people know how to plant a tree with the roots in a container or dug from a nursery with the soil and roots wrapped in burlapped material. However professional tree planters will take advantage of purchasing trees bare root because they are half the price of container grown and B&B trees.
There are some key considerations when planting bare-root trees based on information from South Dakota State University research studies:
1) Most bare-root trees are susceptible to drying out because their roots are exposed to the elements. It is not
the visible roots that are the problem, it is the tiny root hairs that are barely visible to the naked eye that are the
key to a quick recovery from transplanting. The most important solution to this problem is keeping the roots
moist at ALL times until the tree is in the ground. (I tell my bare root planting crew that every 30 seconds the
bare roots are exposed to sun and wind, cuts the likelihood of tree survival in half.)
2) Most trees require daily watering and keeping the roots protected from sun and wind. In addition, some trees
are sensitive to having bare roots exposed to sun and air might need to be treated to a process called
“sweating”.
Bare-root trees must never have the little root hairs left to dry or be exposed to the sun. This exposure can cause desiccation injury that will result in a poor survival and growth rate. Bare-root trees must be kept cool, about 40°F (4° C) until planting, and the roots must be covered with a damp packing material. Ideally the tree would go directly from the packing material into a planting hole that is quickly filled with water and the roots covered with soil.
The shorter the time between being removed from the packing material and into the planting hole, the better. Even a five minute exposure on a hot, windy day can kill the tiny root hairs. If possible, hydrate the roots by placing them in a tank of water for one to two hours before planting. Only have the roots covered with water, not the tops. Also do not allow the trees to remain in water for more than two hours, longer time periods may result in root mortality by suffocation.
Sweating
Some bare-root trees require sweating before being planted. The list of tree species that require this sweating process is fairly short. Bare-root birch (Betula), hawthorn (Crataegus), honeylocust (Gleditsia), ironwood (Carpinus), and oaks (Quercus), all require sweating. If removed from a cooler and directly planted into the field or landscape without sweating, these trees often fail to break bud and may remain dormant far into the summer and either leaf out very late or not at all.
The sweating process involves laying the tree stock down in a shaded area, preferably on the north side of a building, or better yet, in the building. Begin by covering the roots with wet packing material such as straw or fine woodchips and sealing the entire plant, tops and roots, with a sheet of clear plastic that is held tight to the ground. The daytime air temperature should be between 50° and 60° F (10° and 16° C). Once the sweating process has started, the buds on the trees in this “mini sauna” will begin to swell within a few days due to the moderate temperatures and high humidity.
Once the buds begin to swell remove the trees from the sweating process and plant them as quickly as possible. However, if planting these trees into cool conditions, the expanding buds will continue to open but very slowly. The sweat treated trees should be planted in humid, warm, but not hot conditions and these conditions may occur any time from March to mid-May. Therefore, keep bare-root oak and other species that require sweating, in the cooler until early May, and then sweat them for a week. By then the conditions outside should be acceptable for planting these bare-root trees directly into the field.
Source
- Ball, John, “Planting Bare Root Trees”, South Dakota State University Extension, March 6, 2019
The test that follows contains 10 questions. Before taking the test be sure you have read the article carefully. The passing grade is 80% on the entire test.
ISA will award .5 CEUs* for a passing grade. SAF members will earn 0.5 Cat. 1-CF for every five passing test scores. The cost for taking this test is $10. If you purchase an annual subscription for 15 credits, the cost per credit is reduced by 50% (see Annual Subscription link below). We will report all passing test scores to ISA and/or SAF. If you are a member of ISA and SAF we will report your passing test scores to both for no additional cost. Please be sure to add both of your certification numbers when you sign in. Tests with passing scores may be submitted only once to each organization.
*Members of ISA may apply the 0.5 CEUs toward Certified Arborist, Municipal Specialist, Tree Worker/Climber, Utility Worker, Tree Worker/Aerial Lift, or BCMA practice credits.
California UFC members will receive credit for passing the test. Please add your CaUFC number after your ISA and/or SAF certification number.
ASCA members may submit your ISA certification record to the ASCA and receive credits one for one.
MTOA members must follow the ISA instructions indicated above.
To take the test by the pay per test option, click on the 'Pay Now' button below where you can send payment online securely with your credit card or Pay Pal account. After your payment is submitted, click on ‘Return to Merchant' / gibneyCE.com. That will take you to the test sign in page followed by the test. Members with certifications from both ISA and SAF, please be sure to add both of your certification numbers. These numbers are important for reporting purposes.
To take the test as an annual subscriber with reduced rates, click on Password and enter your test password which will take you to the test sign in page. If you would like to become a subscriber see our Annual Subscription page for details.
When you have finished answering all questions you will be prompted to click ‘next’ to send your answers to gibneyCE.com. You can then click ‘next’ to view your test summary. A test review of your answers is available upon request.
All passing test scores are sent from gibneyCE.com to your organization(s) at the end of every month and they will appear on your certification record 4 to 6 weeks* after that. ISA maintains a record of CEU credits on their website.
*SAF requires 5 passing test scores before reporting.
Test re-takes are allowed, however you will have to pay for the retake if you are using the pay per test option. You can spend as much time as you would like to take the test but it is important not to leave the test site until you have answered all the questions and see the 'sending your answers' response.
City of Logan
By Len Phillips
The City of Logan is a local government area situated within the south of the Brisbane metropolitan area in South East Queensland, Australia. Situated between the City of Brisbane to the north and the City of Gold Coast to the south, Logan City also borders the Scenic Rim Region, and the City of Ipswich. Logan City is divided into 70 suburbs and 12 divisions. A councilor is elected to each of the divisions. In June 2018, the City had a population of 326,615.
The City continues to strengthen its green credentials with a decision to protect two Council-owned reserves and utilize them for tree planting. The City also sets aside “offset funds” for additional tree planting projects in the City. Offset planting is funded by payments received from developers and property owners to compensate for the environmental impacts of clearing native vegetation. Environmental and vegetation offsets will be established in currently unused areas around the City. Offset funds are spent on creating new native bush-land habitats in areas that are forever protected from clearing.
Tree Planting Sites
Tree planting sites will be designed to allow for future community recreational use, including walking trails. Two sites have been identified as having environmental values, including koala habitats. It will take about seven years for the seedling trees on these sites to become fully established. The two sites represent about 12 acres (5 hectares) of land which will be added to the more than 172 acres (70 hectares) of land Logan City Council currently manages for environmental offset plantings. To date, the Council has encouraged the planting of more than 70,000 trees under the offset planting program. The securing of new offset planting sites follows the Council’s recent purchase of a 523 acre (212-hectare) property at Greenbank to be preserved as natural bush land and a koala habitat.
Green Space Awards
City of Logan was named ‘Best on Ground’ by the Greener Spaces Better Places organization network for increasing the City’s green cover by 5% at a time when annual population growth was 2%. The organization's annual report also found the City’s tree canopy had increased from 41% in 2016 to 53% in 2020. The Council also earned national recognition last year for its planting and habitat protection programs.
Environment Chair Deputy Mayor Jon Raven said the Council was committed to protecting and expanding green space. “We are lucky to have so many beautiful natural environments in Logan and we understand the important role they play in our lifestyle.” That’s why Council continues to allocate millions of dollars each year to improve the waterways and koala habitats, implement species management and bush care programs and deliver carbon reduction and energy efficiency strategies.
The protection of natural environment is vital for the future of Logan and a priority for the community, which is why these programs are so important. The penal settlement based in Brisbane was closed in 1841 and the land was quickly taken up by squatters. The first leases of land in the Logan area were issued from 1849 and immigration was encouraged following the separation from NSW in 1859. The declaration of the Logan and Eight Mile Plains Agricultural Reserves in 1862 led to extensive settlement of the area. German immigrants arrived from 1864 and afterwards. Generous land orders for immigrants in Queensland created an attraction with the possibility of owning their own farm.
The test that follows contains 10 questions. Before taking the test be sure you have read the article carefully. The passing grade is 80% on the entire test.
ISA will award .5 CEUs* for a passing grade. SAF members will earn 0.5 Cat. 1-CF for every five passing test scores. The cost for taking this test is $10. If you purchase an annual subscription for 15 credits, the cost per credit is reduced by 50% (see Annual Subscription link below). We will report all passing test scores to ISA and/or SAF. If you are a member of ISA and SAF we will report your passing test scores to both for no additional cost. Please be sure to add both of your certification numbers when you sign in. Tests with passing scores may be submitted only once to each organization.
*Members of ISA may apply the 0.5 CEUs toward Certified Arborist, Municipal Specialist, Tree Worker/Climber, Utility Worker, Tree Worker/Aerial Lift, or BCMA management credits.
California UFC members will receive credit for passing the test. Please add your CaUFC number after your ISA and/or SAF certification number.
ASCA members may submit your ISA certification record to the ASCA and receive credits one for one.
MTOA members must follow the ISA instructions indicated above.
To take the test by the pay per test option, click on the 'Pay Now' button below where you can send payment online securely with your credit card or Pay Pal account. After your payment is submitted, click on ‘Return to Merchant' / gibneyCE.com. That will take you to the test sign in page followed by the test. Members with certifications from both ISA and SAF, please be sure to add both of your certification numbers. These numbers are important for reporting purposes.
To take the test as an annual subscriber with reduced rates, click on Password and enter your test password which will take you to the test sign in page. If you would like to become a subscriber see our Annual Subscription page for details.
When you have finished answering all questions you will be prompted to click ‘next’ to send your answers to gibneyCE.com. You can then click ‘next’ to view your test summary. A test review of your answers is available upon request.
All passing test scores are sent from gibneyCE.com to your organization(s) at the end of every month and they will appear on your certification record 4 to 6 weeks* after that. ISA maintains a record of CEU credits on their website.
*SAF requires 5 passing test scores before reporting.
Test re-takes are allowed, however you will have to pay for the retake if you are using the pay per test option. You can spend as much time as you would like to take the test but it is important not to leave the test site until you have answered all the questions and see the 'sending your answers' response.
By Len Phillips
The City of Logan is a local government area situated within the south of the Brisbane metropolitan area in South East Queensland, Australia. Situated between the City of Brisbane to the north and the City of Gold Coast to the south, Logan City also borders the Scenic Rim Region, and the City of Ipswich. Logan City is divided into 70 suburbs and 12 divisions. A councilor is elected to each of the divisions. In June 2018, the City had a population of 326,615.
The City continues to strengthen its green credentials with a decision to protect two Council-owned reserves and utilize them for tree planting. The City also sets aside “offset funds” for additional tree planting projects in the City. Offset planting is funded by payments received from developers and property owners to compensate for the environmental impacts of clearing native vegetation. Environmental and vegetation offsets will be established in currently unused areas around the City. Offset funds are spent on creating new native bush-land habitats in areas that are forever protected from clearing.
Tree Planting Sites
Tree planting sites will be designed to allow for future community recreational use, including walking trails. Two sites have been identified as having environmental values, including koala habitats. It will take about seven years for the seedling trees on these sites to become fully established. The two sites represent about 12 acres (5 hectares) of land which will be added to the more than 172 acres (70 hectares) of land Logan City Council currently manages for environmental offset plantings. To date, the Council has encouraged the planting of more than 70,000 trees under the offset planting program. The securing of new offset planting sites follows the Council’s recent purchase of a 523 acre (212-hectare) property at Greenbank to be preserved as natural bush land and a koala habitat.
Green Space Awards
City of Logan was named ‘Best on Ground’ by the Greener Spaces Better Places organization network for increasing the City’s green cover by 5% at a time when annual population growth was 2%. The organization's annual report also found the City’s tree canopy had increased from 41% in 2016 to 53% in 2020. The Council also earned national recognition last year for its planting and habitat protection programs.
Environment Chair Deputy Mayor Jon Raven said the Council was committed to protecting and expanding green space. “We are lucky to have so many beautiful natural environments in Logan and we understand the important role they play in our lifestyle.” That’s why Council continues to allocate millions of dollars each year to improve the waterways and koala habitats, implement species management and bush care programs and deliver carbon reduction and energy efficiency strategies.
The protection of natural environment is vital for the future of Logan and a priority for the community, which is why these programs are so important. The penal settlement based in Brisbane was closed in 1841 and the land was quickly taken up by squatters. The first leases of land in the Logan area were issued from 1849 and immigration was encouraged following the separation from NSW in 1859. The declaration of the Logan and Eight Mile Plains Agricultural Reserves in 1862 led to extensive settlement of the area. German immigrants arrived from 1864 and afterwards. Generous land orders for immigrants in Queensland created an attraction with the possibility of owning their own farm.
The test that follows contains 10 questions. Before taking the test be sure you have read the article carefully. The passing grade is 80% on the entire test.
ISA will award .5 CEUs* for a passing grade. SAF members will earn 0.5 Cat. 1-CF for every five passing test scores. The cost for taking this test is $10. If you purchase an annual subscription for 15 credits, the cost per credit is reduced by 50% (see Annual Subscription link below). We will report all passing test scores to ISA and/or SAF. If you are a member of ISA and SAF we will report your passing test scores to both for no additional cost. Please be sure to add both of your certification numbers when you sign in. Tests with passing scores may be submitted only once to each organization.
*Members of ISA may apply the 0.5 CEUs toward Certified Arborist, Municipal Specialist, Tree Worker/Climber, Utility Worker, Tree Worker/Aerial Lift, or BCMA management credits.
California UFC members will receive credit for passing the test. Please add your CaUFC number after your ISA and/or SAF certification number.
ASCA members may submit your ISA certification record to the ASCA and receive credits one for one.
MTOA members must follow the ISA instructions indicated above.
To take the test by the pay per test option, click on the 'Pay Now' button below where you can send payment online securely with your credit card or Pay Pal account. After your payment is submitted, click on ‘Return to Merchant' / gibneyCE.com. That will take you to the test sign in page followed by the test. Members with certifications from both ISA and SAF, please be sure to add both of your certification numbers. These numbers are important for reporting purposes.
To take the test as an annual subscriber with reduced rates, click on Password and enter your test password which will take you to the test sign in page. If you would like to become a subscriber see our Annual Subscription page for details.
When you have finished answering all questions you will be prompted to click ‘next’ to send your answers to gibneyCE.com. You can then click ‘next’ to view your test summary. A test review of your answers is available upon request.
All passing test scores are sent from gibneyCE.com to your organization(s) at the end of every month and they will appear on your certification record 4 to 6 weeks* after that. ISA maintains a record of CEU credits on their website.
*SAF requires 5 passing test scores before reporting.
Test re-takes are allowed, however you will have to pay for the retake if you are using the pay per test option. You can spend as much time as you would like to take the test but it is important not to leave the test site until you have answered all the questions and see the 'sending your answers' response.
Arranged Tree Planting
Edited by Len Phillips
A new study of 5.6 million trees in 63 cities suggests municipal arborists should arrange their tree plantings by selecting tree species based on hardiness in their region and appearance. They should also consider mixing species strategically and planting mostly native species and cultivars of native species.
However, the study found that urban trees tended to be clustered by species in 98% of the cities studied, even among cities which had relatively high levels of tree species diversity. About 46% of the urban trees in U.S. cities were introduced species. Researchers say this not only drives homogenization of urban ecosystems across cities with varying geographies and climates, it also decreases their resistance to pests and disease.
We should want the city trees we plant to live long healthy lives and that means our planting decisions should leave a long positive legacy. Urban environments are not an easy place for most tree species to survive, so our go-to list of city tree species should be diverse, pest resistant, hardy, and attractive.
The use of locally occurring species and cultivars is critical, as the local climate and soils will support richer and healthier local ecosystems, including bird and butterfly communities. Species clustering and reliance on introduced species may leave urban forests more vulnerable to species-specific pests or disease, such as the Emerald Ash Borer or Dutch Elm Disease that could wipe out the species. It can also reduce their health and ecological benefits.
Many studies show that urban forests help humans by cooling and cleaning the air and more, because they relax forest walkers. But few have assessed city tree biodiversity, which protects forests from being wiped out by disease or climate change. More diverse forests also confer greater mental health benefits for humans and provide more wildlife habitats.
These mental and physical health benefits of species-rich urban forests, include cooling urban heat islands, also suggest an environmental and health justice component to tree biodiversity. In their study, the researchers advocated further examination of city tree diversity by income and other demographic factors.
Humans consciously control urban ecosystems, in part by selecting and planting city trees. We have an opportunity to design diverse, spatially heterogeneous city tree communities with fewer introduced species, thus improving human health and wildlife ecosystems, and developing resilience against climate change, pests and diseases. Municipal tree care professionals should consider city tree diversity by income and other demographic factors.
Arborists should use green decision-making to forge a path toward a sustainable urban future.
Source
The test that follows contains 10 questions. Before taking the test be sure you have read the article carefully. The passing grade is 80% on the entire test.
ISA will award .5 CEUs* for a passing grade. SAF members will earn 0.5 Cat. 1-CF for every five passing test scores. The cost for taking this test is $10. If you purchase an annual subscription for 15 credits, the cost per credit is reduced by 50% (see Annual Subscription link below). We will report all passing test scores to ISA and/or SAF. If you are a member of ISA and SAF we will report your passing test scores to both for no additional cost. Please be sure to add both of your certification numbers when you sign in. Tests with passing scores may be submitted only once to each organization.
*Members of ISA may apply the 0.5 CEUs toward Certified Arborist, Municipal Specialist, Tree Worker/Climber, Utility Worker, Tree Worker/Aerial Lift, or BCMA science credits.
California UFC members will receive credit for passing the test. Please add your CaUFC number after your ISA and/or SAF certification number.
ASCA members may submit your ISA certification record to the ASCA and receive credits one for one.
MTOA members must follow the ISA instructions indicated above.
To take the test by the pay per test option, click on the 'Pay Now' button below where you can send payment online securely with your credit card or Pay Pal account. After your payment is submitted, click on ‘Return to Merchant' / gibneyCE.com. That will take you to the test sign in page followed by the test. Members with certifications from both ISA and SAF, please be sure to add both of your certification numbers. These numbers are important for reporting purposes.
To take the test as an annual subscriber with reduced rates, click on Password and enter your test password which will take you to the test sign in page. If you would like to become a subscriber see our Annual Subscription page for details.
When you have finished answering all questions you will be prompted to click ‘next’ to send your answers to gibneyCE.com. You can then click ‘next’ to view your test summary. A test review of your answers is available upon request.
All passing test scores are sent from gibneyCE.com to your organization(s) at the end of every month and they will appear on your certification record 4 to 6 weeks* after that. ISA maintains a record of CEU credits on their website.
*SAF requires 5 passing test scores before reporting.
Test re-takes are allowed, however you will have to pay for the retake if you are using the pay per test option. You can spend as much time as you would like to take the test but it is important not to leave the test site until you have answered all the questions and see the 'sending your answers' response.
Edited by Len Phillips
A new study of 5.6 million trees in 63 cities suggests municipal arborists should arrange their tree plantings by selecting tree species based on hardiness in their region and appearance. They should also consider mixing species strategically and planting mostly native species and cultivars of native species.
However, the study found that urban trees tended to be clustered by species in 98% of the cities studied, even among cities which had relatively high levels of tree species diversity. About 46% of the urban trees in U.S. cities were introduced species. Researchers say this not only drives homogenization of urban ecosystems across cities with varying geographies and climates, it also decreases their resistance to pests and disease.
We should want the city trees we plant to live long healthy lives and that means our planting decisions should leave a long positive legacy. Urban environments are not an easy place for most tree species to survive, so our go-to list of city tree species should be diverse, pest resistant, hardy, and attractive.
The use of locally occurring species and cultivars is critical, as the local climate and soils will support richer and healthier local ecosystems, including bird and butterfly communities. Species clustering and reliance on introduced species may leave urban forests more vulnerable to species-specific pests or disease, such as the Emerald Ash Borer or Dutch Elm Disease that could wipe out the species. It can also reduce their health and ecological benefits.
Many studies show that urban forests help humans by cooling and cleaning the air and more, because they relax forest walkers. But few have assessed city tree biodiversity, which protects forests from being wiped out by disease or climate change. More diverse forests also confer greater mental health benefits for humans and provide more wildlife habitats.
These mental and physical health benefits of species-rich urban forests, include cooling urban heat islands, also suggest an environmental and health justice component to tree biodiversity. In their study, the researchers advocated further examination of city tree diversity by income and other demographic factors.
Humans consciously control urban ecosystems, in part by selecting and planting city trees. We have an opportunity to design diverse, spatially heterogeneous city tree communities with fewer introduced species, thus improving human health and wildlife ecosystems, and developing resilience against climate change, pests and diseases. Municipal tree care professionals should consider city tree diversity by income and other demographic factors.
Arborists should use green decision-making to forge a path toward a sustainable urban future.
Source
- Dakota McCoy, a science fellow at Stanford University
The test that follows contains 10 questions. Before taking the test be sure you have read the article carefully. The passing grade is 80% on the entire test.
ISA will award .5 CEUs* for a passing grade. SAF members will earn 0.5 Cat. 1-CF for every five passing test scores. The cost for taking this test is $10. If you purchase an annual subscription for 15 credits, the cost per credit is reduced by 50% (see Annual Subscription link below). We will report all passing test scores to ISA and/or SAF. If you are a member of ISA and SAF we will report your passing test scores to both for no additional cost. Please be sure to add both of your certification numbers when you sign in. Tests with passing scores may be submitted only once to each organization.
*Members of ISA may apply the 0.5 CEUs toward Certified Arborist, Municipal Specialist, Tree Worker/Climber, Utility Worker, Tree Worker/Aerial Lift, or BCMA science credits.
California UFC members will receive credit for passing the test. Please add your CaUFC number after your ISA and/or SAF certification number.
ASCA members may submit your ISA certification record to the ASCA and receive credits one for one.
MTOA members must follow the ISA instructions indicated above.
To take the test by the pay per test option, click on the 'Pay Now' button below where you can send payment online securely with your credit card or Pay Pal account. After your payment is submitted, click on ‘Return to Merchant' / gibneyCE.com. That will take you to the test sign in page followed by the test. Members with certifications from both ISA and SAF, please be sure to add both of your certification numbers. These numbers are important for reporting purposes.
To take the test as an annual subscriber with reduced rates, click on Password and enter your test password which will take you to the test sign in page. If you would like to become a subscriber see our Annual Subscription page for details.
When you have finished answering all questions you will be prompted to click ‘next’ to send your answers to gibneyCE.com. You can then click ‘next’ to view your test summary. A test review of your answers is available upon request.
All passing test scores are sent from gibneyCE.com to your organization(s) at the end of every month and they will appear on your certification record 4 to 6 weeks* after that. ISA maintains a record of CEU credits on their website.
*SAF requires 5 passing test scores before reporting.
Test re-takes are allowed, however you will have to pay for the retake if you are using the pay per test option. You can spend as much time as you would like to take the test but it is important not to leave the test site until you have answered all the questions and see the 'sending your answers' response.
Origin of the London Plane Tree
Edited by Len Phillips
In the 17th Century global trade began among the countries around the world. There were the endless crates of imported spices, silks, ancient artifacts and tea along with millions of tiny seeds. Explorers and merchants brought seeds and plant material back from wherever they traveled. Soon, many English and gardens along the US East Coast were being transformed into outdoor showrooms to display the flora from the farthest reaches of the globe.
Somehow amid the chaotic meeting of the so-called New World and the Old, two plants met, from continents thousands of miles apart. An American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) and an Oriental plane (Platanus orientalis), met and produced a seed that became the London Plane tree Platanus x acerifolia.
It is around the 1640s that this Platanus x acerifolia may have come into being, although to this day, its origins and the date remain a mystery. Another potential source was that the two plane trees may have coexisted on the grounds of the Oxford Botanical Garden, where one botanical thing led to another and a seed was produced. And still another alternative theory is that they hooked up in Spain, where the London Plane was first described. Platanus × hispanica was the commonly used botanical name in Great Britain but the tree is identical to the Platanus × acerifolia commonly used elsewhere.
Regardless of the history of its origin and how the cross pollination occurred, the result was a large (80'x70') (26x22m), strikingly beautiful tree now called London Plane Platanus x acerifolia. It has a fast growth rate and an unusually robust constitution. This enables the tree to survive in one of the harshest environments on Earth – human cities. It didn't take long for the London Plane to become very popular. The tree, a dominant member of the early industrial urban forest in London earned a reputation for resisting problems from air pollution.
Nobody thought to grow trees along pavements until the Paris-inspired craze for tree-lined boulevards crossed the Channel in the mid-19th century. Within a century these noble plane trees could be found scattered all over the city. The Victoria Embankment, completed by Joseph Bazalgette in 1870, was the first street in London to be lined with London Planes, and other new thoroughfares such as Northumberland Avenue soon followed with London Planes. The general longevity of the London Plane is disputed. Some say they may live up to 300 years, while the City of London asserts that the first tree was planted in 1820 making it only 200 years old.
In the mid-19th Century, London Plane trees were used to transform the city's layout, turning previously naked streets into the familiar leafy boulevards we know today. (One particularly broad specimen in London's Mayfair district, dating back to the Victorian era, in 2008 was valued at £750,000 ($875,000 US) by tree officers from the local authority. The sight of this specimen inspired the planting of London Planes all over Paris.
In late 19th-century the best and widest avenues got the large trees such as the Platanus × acerifolia and horse chestnut, while streets slightly lower down the social scale made do with limes, laburnums and acacias. The houses of the poorest class faced “unadorned macadam”. But in most London streets the plane ruled supreme, because it was used almost to the exclusion of every other species. It was hardy and adaptable and it shed its bark frequently. This was a pleasing habit in an age when smoke blackened everything from shirt collars to tree trunks.
As the harsh living conditions of the Industrial Revolution began to take hold, London Plane trees continued to cling on while other trees got sick. In addition to being unusually hardy, the hybrid giants had some quirky features that helped them adjust to city life. This included the ability to slough off the outer layers of their smog-coated trunks to reveal a fresh patchwork of green and white bark underneath.
By the 1920s, the London Plane represented 60% of their city's namesake's trees, and their almost straight trunks and fluffy crowns had become a regular fixture in many other urban centers around the globe, from Sydney to New York City. They were soon joined by a handful of other species, such as the common lime (Tilia) also known as a linden tree, which currently makes up 45% of the canopy in the Finnish capital of Helsinki.
Today the London Plane is not as dominant or as robust as it once was. Research in the Czech Republic has found that the trees' health has been steadily deteriorating. It is widely accepted that when trees are stressed out by their local environment, such as warming cities, air pollution, hot summers, or life in a concrete street box, they become particularly susceptible to a range of diseases. Even for the long-suffering London Plane, the conditions in modern cities are a step too far.
Source
The test that follows contains 10 questions. Before taking the test be sure you have read the article carefully. The passing grade is 80% on the entire test.
ISA will award .5 CEUs* for a passing grade. SAF members will earn 0.5 Cat. 1-CF for every five passing test scores. The cost for taking this test is $10. If you purchase an annual subscription for 15 credits, the cost per credit is reduced by 50% (see Annual Subscription link below). We will report all passing test scores to ISA and/or SAF. If you are a member of ISA and SAF we will report your passing test scores to both for no additional cost. Please be sure to add both of your certification numbers when you sign in. Tests with passing scores may be submitted only once to each organization.
*Members of ISA may apply the 0.5 CEUs toward Certified Arborist, Municipal Specialist, Tree Worker/Climber, Utility Worker, Tree Worker/Aerial Lift, or BCMA science credits.
California UFC members will receive credit for passing the test. Please add your CaUFC number after your ISA and/or SAF certification number.
ASCA members may submit your ISA certification record to the ASCA and receive credits one for one.
MTOA members must follow the ISA instructions indicated above.
To take the test by the pay per test option, click on the 'Pay Now' button below where you can send payment online securely with your credit card or Pay Pal account. After your payment is submitted, click on ‘Return to Merchant' / gibneyCE.com. That will take you to the test sign in page followed by the test. Members with certifications from both ISA and SAF, please be sure to add both of your certification numbers. These numbers are important for reporting purposes.
To take the test as an annual subscriber with reduced rates, click on Password and enter your test password which will take you to the test sign in page. If you would like to become a subscriber see our Annual Subscription page for details.
When you have finished answering all questions you will be prompted to click ‘next’ to send your answers to gibneyCE.com. You can then click ‘next’ to view your test summary. A test review of your answers is available upon request.
All passing test scores are sent from gibneyCE.com to your organization(s) at the end of every month and they will appear on your certification record 4 to 6 weeks* after that. ISA maintains a record of CEU credits on their website.
*SAF requires 5 passing test scores before reporting.
Test re-takes are allowed, however you will have to pay for the retake if you are using the pay per test option. You can spend as much time as you would like to take the test but it is important not to leave the test site until you have answered all the questions and see the 'sending your answers' response.
Edited by Len Phillips
In the 17th Century global trade began among the countries around the world. There were the endless crates of imported spices, silks, ancient artifacts and tea along with millions of tiny seeds. Explorers and merchants brought seeds and plant material back from wherever they traveled. Soon, many English and gardens along the US East Coast were being transformed into outdoor showrooms to display the flora from the farthest reaches of the globe.
Somehow amid the chaotic meeting of the so-called New World and the Old, two plants met, from continents thousands of miles apart. An American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) and an Oriental plane (Platanus orientalis), met and produced a seed that became the London Plane tree Platanus x acerifolia.
It is around the 1640s that this Platanus x acerifolia may have come into being, although to this day, its origins and the date remain a mystery. Another potential source was that the two plane trees may have coexisted on the grounds of the Oxford Botanical Garden, where one botanical thing led to another and a seed was produced. And still another alternative theory is that they hooked up in Spain, where the London Plane was first described. Platanus × hispanica was the commonly used botanical name in Great Britain but the tree is identical to the Platanus × acerifolia commonly used elsewhere.
Regardless of the history of its origin and how the cross pollination occurred, the result was a large (80'x70') (26x22m), strikingly beautiful tree now called London Plane Platanus x acerifolia. It has a fast growth rate and an unusually robust constitution. This enables the tree to survive in one of the harshest environments on Earth – human cities. It didn't take long for the London Plane to become very popular. The tree, a dominant member of the early industrial urban forest in London earned a reputation for resisting problems from air pollution.
Nobody thought to grow trees along pavements until the Paris-inspired craze for tree-lined boulevards crossed the Channel in the mid-19th century. Within a century these noble plane trees could be found scattered all over the city. The Victoria Embankment, completed by Joseph Bazalgette in 1870, was the first street in London to be lined with London Planes, and other new thoroughfares such as Northumberland Avenue soon followed with London Planes. The general longevity of the London Plane is disputed. Some say they may live up to 300 years, while the City of London asserts that the first tree was planted in 1820 making it only 200 years old.
In the mid-19th Century, London Plane trees were used to transform the city's layout, turning previously naked streets into the familiar leafy boulevards we know today. (One particularly broad specimen in London's Mayfair district, dating back to the Victorian era, in 2008 was valued at £750,000 ($875,000 US) by tree officers from the local authority. The sight of this specimen inspired the planting of London Planes all over Paris.
In late 19th-century the best and widest avenues got the large trees such as the Platanus × acerifolia and horse chestnut, while streets slightly lower down the social scale made do with limes, laburnums and acacias. The houses of the poorest class faced “unadorned macadam”. But in most London streets the plane ruled supreme, because it was used almost to the exclusion of every other species. It was hardy and adaptable and it shed its bark frequently. This was a pleasing habit in an age when smoke blackened everything from shirt collars to tree trunks.
As the harsh living conditions of the Industrial Revolution began to take hold, London Plane trees continued to cling on while other trees got sick. In addition to being unusually hardy, the hybrid giants had some quirky features that helped them adjust to city life. This included the ability to slough off the outer layers of their smog-coated trunks to reveal a fresh patchwork of green and white bark underneath.
By the 1920s, the London Plane represented 60% of their city's namesake's trees, and their almost straight trunks and fluffy crowns had become a regular fixture in many other urban centers around the globe, from Sydney to New York City. They were soon joined by a handful of other species, such as the common lime (Tilia) also known as a linden tree, which currently makes up 45% of the canopy in the Finnish capital of Helsinki.
Today the London Plane is not as dominant or as robust as it once was. Research in the Czech Republic has found that the trees' health has been steadily deteriorating. It is widely accepted that when trees are stressed out by their local environment, such as warming cities, air pollution, hot summers, or life in a concrete street box, they become particularly susceptible to a range of diseases. Even for the long-suffering London Plane, the conditions in modern cities are a step too far.
Source
- Zaria Gorvett, BBC Future, 1st June 2022
The test that follows contains 10 questions. Before taking the test be sure you have read the article carefully. The passing grade is 80% on the entire test.
ISA will award .5 CEUs* for a passing grade. SAF members will earn 0.5 Cat. 1-CF for every five passing test scores. The cost for taking this test is $10. If you purchase an annual subscription for 15 credits, the cost per credit is reduced by 50% (see Annual Subscription link below). We will report all passing test scores to ISA and/or SAF. If you are a member of ISA and SAF we will report your passing test scores to both for no additional cost. Please be sure to add both of your certification numbers when you sign in. Tests with passing scores may be submitted only once to each organization.
*Members of ISA may apply the 0.5 CEUs toward Certified Arborist, Municipal Specialist, Tree Worker/Climber, Utility Worker, Tree Worker/Aerial Lift, or BCMA science credits.
California UFC members will receive credit for passing the test. Please add your CaUFC number after your ISA and/or SAF certification number.
ASCA members may submit your ISA certification record to the ASCA and receive credits one for one.
MTOA members must follow the ISA instructions indicated above.
To take the test by the pay per test option, click on the 'Pay Now' button below where you can send payment online securely with your credit card or Pay Pal account. After your payment is submitted, click on ‘Return to Merchant' / gibneyCE.com. That will take you to the test sign in page followed by the test. Members with certifications from both ISA and SAF, please be sure to add both of your certification numbers. These numbers are important for reporting purposes.
To take the test as an annual subscriber with reduced rates, click on Password and enter your test password which will take you to the test sign in page. If you would like to become a subscriber see our Annual Subscription page for details.
When you have finished answering all questions you will be prompted to click ‘next’ to send your answers to gibneyCE.com. You can then click ‘next’ to view your test summary. A test review of your answers is available upon request.
All passing test scores are sent from gibneyCE.com to your organization(s) at the end of every month and they will appear on your certification record 4 to 6 weeks* after that. ISA maintains a record of CEU credits on their website.
*SAF requires 5 passing test scores before reporting.
Test re-takes are allowed, however you will have to pay for the retake if you are using the pay per test option. You can spend as much time as you would like to take the test but it is important not to leave the test site until you have answered all the questions and see the 'sending your answers' response.
Tree Roots in Compacted Soil
By Len Phillips
The goal of this study was to determine a way to improve the success of growing trees in compacted urban soil, similar to what might be found in the tree lawn between a city street and the sidewalk. Seven sets of three Red Maple (Acer rubrum) tree saplings on their own roots were planted on September 14, 2014. The saplings were all in their second season of growth. The average growth results one year after the installation are reported.
Saplings 1 Fibrous roots in compact soil. These saplings were planted to determine the growth of fibrous roots
in compact urban soils.
Height: average new growth on July 23, 2015 – 14 inches
Observations: Very little change in growth of roots as well as limited top growth. Tree produced a
limited number of fibrous roots. Tap Root photo
Saplings 2 Fibrous roots planted in compact soil with 4 horizontal holes punched into the gravel beyond the
planting pit. These saplings were planted to determine if the tree’s roots would take advantage of the
holes to spread new roots into otherwise compacted soil.
Height: average new growth on July 23, 2015 – 15 inches
Observations: This treatment exceeded expectations. Not only did the roots take off in the 4
directions, the four roots developed into main structural roots. The other fibrous roots that were there
at the time of planting did not change significantly.
Saplings 3 These saplings were planted in compost in the center of compact soil. These saplings were planted
to determine if the roots would expand beyond the compost improved soils.
Height: average new growth on July 23, 2015 – 8 inches
Observations: As expected, the roots remained fibrous and in the center compost area. None of the
roots went into the compacted soil. Top growth was also the least of all seven treatment options. At
replanting, the compost/ compacted soil margin was intermingled to see if the roots will penetrate
the compacted soil more readily by next year. In 2016 the results were mixed, a few roots did
penetrate the compact soil with very little branching. Most of the roots remained in the compost soil.
Saplings 4 Trees planted on edge of compacted soil and a lawn. These saplings were planted to determine if the
roots would grow into the compacted soil or the other way if the lawn and better soil was available.
Height: Average new growth on July 23, 2015 – 15 inches
Observations: As expected the roots readily grew in the compost areas but not into the compacted
soil area. Healthy Roots photo
Saplings 5 Control in container of compact gravel. These saplings were planted to determine how much the
trees would grow in loosened compacted gravel soil.
Height: Average new growth on July 23, 2015 – 14 inches
Observations: Almost no roots had grown to the container wall. Top growth was low.
Saplings 6 Control in container of compost. These saplings were planted to determine how much the tree would
grow without impediments of compacted soil. Would the tree suffer in the long term due to the limits
of the container.
Height: Average new growth on July 23, 2015 – 18 inches
Observations: Many roots had grown to the container wall. Top growth was 22% more than the
control in the compacted gravel. Tree produced a mass of fibrous roots. See photo
Saplings 7 Planted with kinked roots that had been straightened. These saplings were planted to determine if
the roots would recover from the kinked problem or would the roots eventually choke the tree.
Height: Average new growth on July 23, 2015 – 19 inches
Observations: Kinked roots were regenerated but became fibrous. It is doubtful these trees will
continue to thrive long term even though these saplings out-grew all others in this experiment.
Saplings 7 should encourage better growth on urban trees because of the larger soil area and
eliminate the problem of roots lifting the sidewalk.
Conclusion: When you are planting saplings in a sidewalk tree pit and the soil is hard as a rock, try to create horizontal holes at the bottom of the planting pit for roots to grow. I used a long steel rod with a hammer or an auger on a portable drill to create holes going in 4 directions. The holes are 6 feet or longer. The tree was planted in the conventional way and the holes were just left there. After 2 growing seasons, I dug down to the bottom of the tree pit and discovered the tree developed small fibrous roots filling the tree pit and also a good-sized structural root developed in each hole.
One word of caution, be sure you know where the underground utilities are located before making the holes for the permanent planting of trees near a sidewalk.
The test that follows contains 10 questions. Before taking the test be sure you have read the article carefully. The passing grade is 80% on the entire test.
ISA will award .5 CEUs* for a passing grade. SAF members will earn 0.5 Cat. 1-CF for every five passing test scores. The cost for taking this test is $10. If you purchase an annual subscription for 15 credits, the cost per credit is reduced by 50% (see Annual Subscription link below). We will report all passing test scores to ISA and/or SAF. If you are a member of ISA and SAF we will report your passing test scores to both for no additional cost. Please be sure to add both of your certification numbers when you sign in. Tests with passing scores may be submitted only once to each organization.
*Members of ISA may apply the 0.5 CEUs toward Certified Arborist, Municipal Specialist, Tree Worker/Climber, Utility Worker, Tree Worker/Aerial Lift, or BCMA practice credits.
California UFC members will receive credit for passing the test. Please add your CaUFC number after your ISA and/or SAF certification number.
ASCA members may submit your ISA certification record to the ASCA and receive credits one for one.
MTOA members must follow the ISA instructions indicated above.
To take the test by the pay per test option, click on the 'Pay Now' button below where you can send payment online securely with your credit card or Pay Pal account. After your payment is submitted, click on ‘Return to Merchant' / gibneyCE.com. That will take you to the test sign in page followed by the test. Members with certifications from both ISA and SAF, please be sure to add both of your certification numbers. These numbers are important for reporting purposes.
To take the test as an annual subscriber with reduced rates, click on Password and enter your test password which will take you to the test sign in page. If you would like to become a subscriber see our Annual Subscription page for details.
When you have finished answering all questions you will be prompted to click ‘next’ to send your answers to gibneyCE.com. You can then click ‘next’ to view your test summary. A test review of your answers is available upon request.
All passing test scores are sent from gibneyCE.com to your organization(s) at the end of every month and they will appear on your certification record 4 to 6 weeks* after that. ISA maintains a record of CEU credits on their website.
*SAF requires 5 passing test scores before reporting.
Test re-takes are allowed, however you will have to pay for the retake if you are using the pay per test option. You can spend as much time as you would like to take the test but it is important not to leave the test site until you have answered all the questions and see the 'sending your answers' response.
By Len Phillips
The goal of this study was to determine a way to improve the success of growing trees in compacted urban soil, similar to what might be found in the tree lawn between a city street and the sidewalk. Seven sets of three Red Maple (Acer rubrum) tree saplings on their own roots were planted on September 14, 2014. The saplings were all in their second season of growth. The average growth results one year after the installation are reported.
Saplings 1 Fibrous roots in compact soil. These saplings were planted to determine the growth of fibrous roots
in compact urban soils.
Height: average new growth on July 23, 2015 – 14 inches
Observations: Very little change in growth of roots as well as limited top growth. Tree produced a
limited number of fibrous roots. Tap Root photo
Saplings 2 Fibrous roots planted in compact soil with 4 horizontal holes punched into the gravel beyond the
planting pit. These saplings were planted to determine if the tree’s roots would take advantage of the
holes to spread new roots into otherwise compacted soil.
Height: average new growth on July 23, 2015 – 15 inches
Observations: This treatment exceeded expectations. Not only did the roots take off in the 4
directions, the four roots developed into main structural roots. The other fibrous roots that were there
at the time of planting did not change significantly.
Saplings 3 These saplings were planted in compost in the center of compact soil. These saplings were planted
to determine if the roots would expand beyond the compost improved soils.
Height: average new growth on July 23, 2015 – 8 inches
Observations: As expected, the roots remained fibrous and in the center compost area. None of the
roots went into the compacted soil. Top growth was also the least of all seven treatment options. At
replanting, the compost/ compacted soil margin was intermingled to see if the roots will penetrate
the compacted soil more readily by next year. In 2016 the results were mixed, a few roots did
penetrate the compact soil with very little branching. Most of the roots remained in the compost soil.
Saplings 4 Trees planted on edge of compacted soil and a lawn. These saplings were planted to determine if the
roots would grow into the compacted soil or the other way if the lawn and better soil was available.
Height: Average new growth on July 23, 2015 – 15 inches
Observations: As expected the roots readily grew in the compost areas but not into the compacted
soil area. Healthy Roots photo
Saplings 5 Control in container of compact gravel. These saplings were planted to determine how much the
trees would grow in loosened compacted gravel soil.
Height: Average new growth on July 23, 2015 – 14 inches
Observations: Almost no roots had grown to the container wall. Top growth was low.
Saplings 6 Control in container of compost. These saplings were planted to determine how much the tree would
grow without impediments of compacted soil. Would the tree suffer in the long term due to the limits
of the container.
Height: Average new growth on July 23, 2015 – 18 inches
Observations: Many roots had grown to the container wall. Top growth was 22% more than the
control in the compacted gravel. Tree produced a mass of fibrous roots. See photo
Saplings 7 Planted with kinked roots that had been straightened. These saplings were planted to determine if
the roots would recover from the kinked problem or would the roots eventually choke the tree.
Height: Average new growth on July 23, 2015 – 19 inches
Observations: Kinked roots were regenerated but became fibrous. It is doubtful these trees will
continue to thrive long term even though these saplings out-grew all others in this experiment.
Saplings 7 should encourage better growth on urban trees because of the larger soil area and
eliminate the problem of roots lifting the sidewalk.
Conclusion: When you are planting saplings in a sidewalk tree pit and the soil is hard as a rock, try to create horizontal holes at the bottom of the planting pit for roots to grow. I used a long steel rod with a hammer or an auger on a portable drill to create holes going in 4 directions. The holes are 6 feet or longer. The tree was planted in the conventional way and the holes were just left there. After 2 growing seasons, I dug down to the bottom of the tree pit and discovered the tree developed small fibrous roots filling the tree pit and also a good-sized structural root developed in each hole.
One word of caution, be sure you know where the underground utilities are located before making the holes for the permanent planting of trees near a sidewalk.
The test that follows contains 10 questions. Before taking the test be sure you have read the article carefully. The passing grade is 80% on the entire test.
ISA will award .5 CEUs* for a passing grade. SAF members will earn 0.5 Cat. 1-CF for every five passing test scores. The cost for taking this test is $10. If you purchase an annual subscription for 15 credits, the cost per credit is reduced by 50% (see Annual Subscription link below). We will report all passing test scores to ISA and/or SAF. If you are a member of ISA and SAF we will report your passing test scores to both for no additional cost. Please be sure to add both of your certification numbers when you sign in. Tests with passing scores may be submitted only once to each organization.
*Members of ISA may apply the 0.5 CEUs toward Certified Arborist, Municipal Specialist, Tree Worker/Climber, Utility Worker, Tree Worker/Aerial Lift, or BCMA practice credits.
California UFC members will receive credit for passing the test. Please add your CaUFC number after your ISA and/or SAF certification number.
ASCA members may submit your ISA certification record to the ASCA and receive credits one for one.
MTOA members must follow the ISA instructions indicated above.
To take the test by the pay per test option, click on the 'Pay Now' button below where you can send payment online securely with your credit card or Pay Pal account. After your payment is submitted, click on ‘Return to Merchant' / gibneyCE.com. That will take you to the test sign in page followed by the test. Members with certifications from both ISA and SAF, please be sure to add both of your certification numbers. These numbers are important for reporting purposes.
To take the test as an annual subscriber with reduced rates, click on Password and enter your test password which will take you to the test sign in page. If you would like to become a subscriber see our Annual Subscription page for details.
When you have finished answering all questions you will be prompted to click ‘next’ to send your answers to gibneyCE.com. You can then click ‘next’ to view your test summary. A test review of your answers is available upon request.
All passing test scores are sent from gibneyCE.com to your organization(s) at the end of every month and they will appear on your certification record 4 to 6 weeks* after that. ISA maintains a record of CEU credits on their website.
*SAF requires 5 passing test scores before reporting.
Test re-takes are allowed, however you will have to pay for the retake if you are using the pay per test option. You can spend as much time as you would like to take the test but it is important not to leave the test site until you have answered all the questions and see the 'sending your answers' response.
The “Ruby” Red Spruce Story
Edited by Len Phillips
As the air began to cool last November and the leaves fell in the mountains of North Carolina, there was a growing sense of anticipation that a single tree would be chosen to adorn the U.S. Capitol grounds. The honor was given to a 78-foot-tall red spruce affectionately named “Ruby,” shortened from the spruce’s scientific name, Picea rubens. Ruby came from the Pisgah National Forest, nestled within the southern Appalachian mountains. The National Forests in the State of North Carolina include four forests, the Nantahala, Pisgah, Uwharrie, and Croatan, spanning the State from the mountains in the west to the sea in the east.
Every year since 1970, “The People’s Tree,” is selected to stand in honor on the West Front Lawn of Capitol Hill. It is called the People’s Tree because it is a gift from the people’s National Forests land to be delivered to the U.S. Capitol Building, “the people’s house”.
On a crisp July day in the middle of last summer atop a mountain peak, a group of arborists, biologists, foresters, and climbers gathered with their climbing gear to inspect potential trees. Apart from looking like a Christmas tree, the tree had to be at least 65 feet tall, so people could see it from the National Mall in Washington, D.C. A USDA Forest Service climber inspected each candidate tree looking for animals, including the federally registered Carolina mountain flying squirrels, and the lichen hot dots, an important food source for the Carolina northern flying squirrels. Ruby was finally chosen over seven other trees, after the team had a final inspection to be sure Ruby was the best choice.
The team of foresters that helped select Ruby also collected Ruby’s cones, which contained seeds that have been sent to a nursery for storage and eventually grown into seedlings. These seedlings may be among the next generation of red spruce trees growing in places across the southern Appalachian region that need them the most. Through the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Program, Ruby is helping to raise awareness of these iconic trees and the ecosystems they support.
While arborists were busy searching for the future People’s Tree, Forest Service employees across the state connected with local communities to create and gather ornaments to adorn the tree, as well as smaller Christmas trees that will be displayed throughout Washington, D.C. and in the homes of military service member families this year. In six months, over 12,000 ornaments were decorated and donated by schools, communities, and civic organizations across North Carolina.
Once the tree was selected and the ornaments gathered, the next step was to deliver Ruby from the Pisgah National Forest to Washington, D.C. It was a long journey because Ruby made several stops along the way to celebrate with North Carolina communities “from the mountains to the sea” before arriving at the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol.
The test that follows contains 10 questions. Before taking the test be sure you have read the article carefully. The passing grade is 80% on the entire test.
ISA will award .5 CEUs* for a passing grade. SAF members will earn 0.5 Cat. 1-CF for every five passing test scores. The cost for taking this test is $10. If you purchase an annual subscription for 15 credits, the cost per credit is reduced by 50% (see Annual Subscription link below). We will report all passing test scores to ISA and/or SAF. If you are a member of ISA and SAF we will report your passing test scores to both for no additional cost. Please be sure to add both of your certification numbers when you sign in. Tests with passing scores may be submitted only once to each organization.
*Members of ISA may apply the 0.5 CEUs toward Certified Arborist, Municipal Specialist, Tree Worker/Climber, Utility Worker, Tree Worker/Aerial Lift, or BCMA management credits.
California UFC members will receive credit for passing the test. Please add your CaUFC number after your ISA and/or SAF certification number.
ASCA members may submit your ISA certification record to the ASCA and receive credits one for one.
MTOA members must follow the ISA instructions indicated above.
To take the test by the pay per test option, click on the 'Pay Now' button below where you can send payment online securely with your credit card or Pay Pal account. After your payment is submitted, click on ‘Return to Merchant' / gibneyCE.com. That will take you to the test sign in page followed by the test. Members with certifications from both ISA and SAF, please be sure to add both of your certification numbers. These numbers are important for reporting purposes.
To take the test as an annual subscriber with reduced rates, click on Password and enter your test password which will take you to the test sign in page. If you would like to become a subscriber see our Annual Subscription page for details.
When you have finished answering all questions you will be prompted to click ‘next’ to send your answers to gibneyCE.com. You can then click ‘next’ to view your test summary. A test review of your answers is available upon request.
All passing test scores are sent from gibneyCE.com to your organization(s) at the end of every month and they will appear on your certification record 4 to 6 weeks* after that. ISA maintains a record of CEU credits on their website.
*SAF requires 5 passing test scores before reporting.
Test re-takes are allowed, however you will have to pay for the retake if you are using the pay per test option. You can spend as much time as you would like to take the test but it is important not to leave the test site until you have answered all the questions and see the 'sending your answers' response.
Edited by Len Phillips
As the air began to cool last November and the leaves fell in the mountains of North Carolina, there was a growing sense of anticipation that a single tree would be chosen to adorn the U.S. Capitol grounds. The honor was given to a 78-foot-tall red spruce affectionately named “Ruby,” shortened from the spruce’s scientific name, Picea rubens. Ruby came from the Pisgah National Forest, nestled within the southern Appalachian mountains. The National Forests in the State of North Carolina include four forests, the Nantahala, Pisgah, Uwharrie, and Croatan, spanning the State from the mountains in the west to the sea in the east.
Every year since 1970, “The People’s Tree,” is selected to stand in honor on the West Front Lawn of Capitol Hill. It is called the People’s Tree because it is a gift from the people’s National Forests land to be delivered to the U.S. Capitol Building, “the people’s house”.
On a crisp July day in the middle of last summer atop a mountain peak, a group of arborists, biologists, foresters, and climbers gathered with their climbing gear to inspect potential trees. Apart from looking like a Christmas tree, the tree had to be at least 65 feet tall, so people could see it from the National Mall in Washington, D.C. A USDA Forest Service climber inspected each candidate tree looking for animals, including the federally registered Carolina mountain flying squirrels, and the lichen hot dots, an important food source for the Carolina northern flying squirrels. Ruby was finally chosen over seven other trees, after the team had a final inspection to be sure Ruby was the best choice.
The team of foresters that helped select Ruby also collected Ruby’s cones, which contained seeds that have been sent to a nursery for storage and eventually grown into seedlings. These seedlings may be among the next generation of red spruce trees growing in places across the southern Appalachian region that need them the most. Through the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Program, Ruby is helping to raise awareness of these iconic trees and the ecosystems they support.
While arborists were busy searching for the future People’s Tree, Forest Service employees across the state connected with local communities to create and gather ornaments to adorn the tree, as well as smaller Christmas trees that will be displayed throughout Washington, D.C. and in the homes of military service member families this year. In six months, over 12,000 ornaments were decorated and donated by schools, communities, and civic organizations across North Carolina.
Once the tree was selected and the ornaments gathered, the next step was to deliver Ruby from the Pisgah National Forest to Washington, D.C. It was a long journey because Ruby made several stops along the way to celebrate with North Carolina communities “from the mountains to the sea” before arriving at the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol.
The test that follows contains 10 questions. Before taking the test be sure you have read the article carefully. The passing grade is 80% on the entire test.
ISA will award .5 CEUs* for a passing grade. SAF members will earn 0.5 Cat. 1-CF for every five passing test scores. The cost for taking this test is $10. If you purchase an annual subscription for 15 credits, the cost per credit is reduced by 50% (see Annual Subscription link below). We will report all passing test scores to ISA and/or SAF. If you are a member of ISA and SAF we will report your passing test scores to both for no additional cost. Please be sure to add both of your certification numbers when you sign in. Tests with passing scores may be submitted only once to each organization.
*Members of ISA may apply the 0.5 CEUs toward Certified Arborist, Municipal Specialist, Tree Worker/Climber, Utility Worker, Tree Worker/Aerial Lift, or BCMA management credits.
California UFC members will receive credit for passing the test. Please add your CaUFC number after your ISA and/or SAF certification number.
ASCA members may submit your ISA certification record to the ASCA and receive credits one for one.
MTOA members must follow the ISA instructions indicated above.
To take the test by the pay per test option, click on the 'Pay Now' button below where you can send payment online securely with your credit card or Pay Pal account. After your payment is submitted, click on ‘Return to Merchant' / gibneyCE.com. That will take you to the test sign in page followed by the test. Members with certifications from both ISA and SAF, please be sure to add both of your certification numbers. These numbers are important for reporting purposes.
To take the test as an annual subscriber with reduced rates, click on Password and enter your test password which will take you to the test sign in page. If you would like to become a subscriber see our Annual Subscription page for details.
When you have finished answering all questions you will be prompted to click ‘next’ to send your answers to gibneyCE.com. You can then click ‘next’ to view your test summary. A test review of your answers is available upon request.
All passing test scores are sent from gibneyCE.com to your organization(s) at the end of every month and they will appear on your certification record 4 to 6 weeks* after that. ISA maintains a record of CEU credits on their website.
*SAF requires 5 passing test scores before reporting.
Test re-takes are allowed, however you will have to pay for the retake if you are using the pay per test option. You can spend as much time as you would like to take the test but it is important not to leave the test site until you have answered all the questions and see the 'sending your answers' response.
Boston City Hall Plaza/Park
Edited by Len Phillips
Boston City Hall Plaza just completed a $95 million makeover after two years of construction. It features new events and gathering spaces, public art installations, and green infrastructure meant to usher in an opportunity to interact with City Hall in new ways. Boston is a green and growing city today, committed to community, uncompromising on inclusion and a city where families can thrive.
The makeover project was spearheaded by a Boston-based design firm and a Boston-based construction company. The City’s Public Facilities Department managed the renovation. City Hall Plaza is the people’s plaza, and it is now a civic front yard that everyone can access and take pleasure in. The city’s renovation to the plaza is a major diversion from its original purpose when it was first completed in 1968.
The plaza originally served as a regional magnet to Boston’s downtown. The plaza served the City like a European piazza. It was designed to be for crowds and individuals to mingle, to talk, to sit and to watch each other. It was also a place of pedestrian passage. People were supposed to move through it on their way from one part of the city to the next.
This most recent project changed the original purpose by transforming the plaza into a public event space as “Boston’s front yard”. It is a different conception of public use. It is also an interesting change historically from what the intentions were more than 50 years ago and how the space will be used from now on. Wanting to turn the plaza into a neighborhood park, the design team and city officials involved in the renovation said they had three primary goals: to make the space more welcoming, accessible, and sustainable.
After listening to feedback from Boston’s disability community, city officials replaced Boston’s ankle-twisting brick plaza and inaccessible stairways with smooth pavers and gently sloped walkways. The inaccessible stairs connecting the two abutting streets were separated by over 20 feet of elevation change. This has been replaced with smooth, flat, brick slopes that are accessible to people who use wheelchairs, scooters, or have other needs. The staircase leading to the front entrance of City Hall was replaced with a brick paved sloping walkway. The North entrance of the building, which has been closed since 9/11, was reopened alongside the building’s second-floor entrance. The plaza's lighting was refurbished to make the space more usable and safe at night. People with disabilities are no longer limited to one path and are welcome to use the whole plaza. The disabled have access to the same entrances and facilities as everyone else.
To encourage the community and accommodate more events on the plaza, the renovation included the installation of seven “plug and play” locations, to be enjoyed by all Boston residents, visitors and community groups. As a result of the expanded “civic event spaces,” Boston City Hall Plaza can now hold as many as 25,000 people at the same time. This re-imagining of the plaza’s space includes three smaller event and gathering places, and a new civic pavilion was equipped to support public gatherings, meetings, and events.
The plaza is now home to a playground, offering children the opportunity to play on slides and climb jungle gyms. The plaza’s brutalist architecture style is now complemented with invited public art installations. The city also commissioned a public artist and illustrator to create two-dimensional graphic designs for the new display system on the west exterior wall of City Hall.
Another main priority of the renovation was to use “green infrastructure” to help the city meet its environmental sustainability goals. The plaza now has “permeable surfaces,” such as resin-bound pavement that will soak up as much as 180,000 gallons of storm water, which will be repurposed to water the 250 new trees and countless other plants scattered around the plaza to provide shade, beauty to the space, and improve the air-quality.
City officials also replaced 50 lights with efficient LED technology, and 22,500 feet of granite and brick pavement that were reused or recycled. The arborist and design team focused on integrating sustainability throughout all aspects of the design of the plaza. The addition of hundreds of linden trees (Tilia cordata “Greenspire”) and thousands of shrubs and perennials have been installed across the entire site to provide significant environmental benefits.
Source
The test that follows contains 10 questions. Before taking the test be sure you have read the article carefully. The passing grade is 80% on the entire test.
ISA will award .5 CEUs* for a passing grade. SAF members will earn 0.5 Cat. 1-CF for every five passing test scores. The cost for taking this test is $10. If you purchase an annual subscription for 15 credits, the cost per credit is reduced by 50% (see Annual Subscription link below). We will report all passing test scores to ISA and/or SAF. If you are a member of ISA and SAF we will report your passing test scores to both for no additional cost. Please be sure to add both of your certification numbers when you sign in. Tests with passing scores may be submitted only once to each organization.
*Members of ISA may apply the 0.5 CEUs toward Certified Arborist, Municipal Specialist, Tree Worker/Climber, Utility Worker, Tree Worker/Aerial Lift, or BCMA management credits.
California UFC members will receive credit for passing the test. Please add your CaUFC number after your ISA and/or SAF certification number.
ASCA members may submit your ISA certification record to the ASCA and receive credits one for one.
MTOA members must follow the ISA instructions indicated above.
To take the test by the pay per test option, click on the 'Pay Now' button below where you can send payment online securely with your credit card or Pay Pal account. After your payment is submitted, click on ‘Return to Merchant' / gibneyCE.com. That will take you to the test sign in page followed by the test. Members with certifications from both ISA and SAF, please be sure to add both of your certification numbers. These numbers are important for reporting purposes.
To take the test as an annual subscriber with reduced rates, click on Password and enter your test password which will take you to the test sign in page. If you would like to become a subscriber see our Annual Subscription page for details.
When you have finished answering all questions you will be prompted to click ‘next’ to send your answers to gibneyCE.com. You can then click ‘next’ to view your test summary. A test review of your answers is available upon request.
All passing test scores are sent from gibneyCE.com to your organization(s) at the end of every month and they will appear on your certification record 4 to 6 weeks* after that. ISA maintains a record of CEU credits on their website.
*SAF requires 5 passing test scores before reporting.
Test re-takes are allowed, however you will have to pay for the retake if you are using the pay per test option. You can spend as much time as you would like to take the test but it is important not to leave the test site until you have answered all the questions and see the 'sending your answers' response.
Edited by Len Phillips
Boston City Hall Plaza just completed a $95 million makeover after two years of construction. It features new events and gathering spaces, public art installations, and green infrastructure meant to usher in an opportunity to interact with City Hall in new ways. Boston is a green and growing city today, committed to community, uncompromising on inclusion and a city where families can thrive.
The makeover project was spearheaded by a Boston-based design firm and a Boston-based construction company. The City’s Public Facilities Department managed the renovation. City Hall Plaza is the people’s plaza, and it is now a civic front yard that everyone can access and take pleasure in. The city’s renovation to the plaza is a major diversion from its original purpose when it was first completed in 1968.
The plaza originally served as a regional magnet to Boston’s downtown. The plaza served the City like a European piazza. It was designed to be for crowds and individuals to mingle, to talk, to sit and to watch each other. It was also a place of pedestrian passage. People were supposed to move through it on their way from one part of the city to the next.
This most recent project changed the original purpose by transforming the plaza into a public event space as “Boston’s front yard”. It is a different conception of public use. It is also an interesting change historically from what the intentions were more than 50 years ago and how the space will be used from now on. Wanting to turn the plaza into a neighborhood park, the design team and city officials involved in the renovation said they had three primary goals: to make the space more welcoming, accessible, and sustainable.
After listening to feedback from Boston’s disability community, city officials replaced Boston’s ankle-twisting brick plaza and inaccessible stairways with smooth pavers and gently sloped walkways. The inaccessible stairs connecting the two abutting streets were separated by over 20 feet of elevation change. This has been replaced with smooth, flat, brick slopes that are accessible to people who use wheelchairs, scooters, or have other needs. The staircase leading to the front entrance of City Hall was replaced with a brick paved sloping walkway. The North entrance of the building, which has been closed since 9/11, was reopened alongside the building’s second-floor entrance. The plaza's lighting was refurbished to make the space more usable and safe at night. People with disabilities are no longer limited to one path and are welcome to use the whole plaza. The disabled have access to the same entrances and facilities as everyone else.
To encourage the community and accommodate more events on the plaza, the renovation included the installation of seven “plug and play” locations, to be enjoyed by all Boston residents, visitors and community groups. As a result of the expanded “civic event spaces,” Boston City Hall Plaza can now hold as many as 25,000 people at the same time. This re-imagining of the plaza’s space includes three smaller event and gathering places, and a new civic pavilion was equipped to support public gatherings, meetings, and events.
The plaza is now home to a playground, offering children the opportunity to play on slides and climb jungle gyms. The plaza’s brutalist architecture style is now complemented with invited public art installations. The city also commissioned a public artist and illustrator to create two-dimensional graphic designs for the new display system on the west exterior wall of City Hall.
Another main priority of the renovation was to use “green infrastructure” to help the city meet its environmental sustainability goals. The plaza now has “permeable surfaces,” such as resin-bound pavement that will soak up as much as 180,000 gallons of storm water, which will be repurposed to water the 250 new trees and countless other plants scattered around the plaza to provide shade, beauty to the space, and improve the air-quality.
City officials also replaced 50 lights with efficient LED technology, and 22,500 feet of granite and brick pavement that were reused or recycled. The arborist and design team focused on integrating sustainability throughout all aspects of the design of the plaza. The addition of hundreds of linden trees (Tilia cordata “Greenspire”) and thousands of shrubs and perennials have been installed across the entire site to provide significant environmental benefits.
Source
- mass.streetsblog.org 2022/11/21/photos-boston-city-hall-plazas-grand-opening
The test that follows contains 10 questions. Before taking the test be sure you have read the article carefully. The passing grade is 80% on the entire test.
ISA will award .5 CEUs* for a passing grade. SAF members will earn 0.5 Cat. 1-CF for every five passing test scores. The cost for taking this test is $10. If you purchase an annual subscription for 15 credits, the cost per credit is reduced by 50% (see Annual Subscription link below). We will report all passing test scores to ISA and/or SAF. If you are a member of ISA and SAF we will report your passing test scores to both for no additional cost. Please be sure to add both of your certification numbers when you sign in. Tests with passing scores may be submitted only once to each organization.
*Members of ISA may apply the 0.5 CEUs toward Certified Arborist, Municipal Specialist, Tree Worker/Climber, Utility Worker, Tree Worker/Aerial Lift, or BCMA management credits.
California UFC members will receive credit for passing the test. Please add your CaUFC number after your ISA and/or SAF certification number.
ASCA members may submit your ISA certification record to the ASCA and receive credits one for one.
MTOA members must follow the ISA instructions indicated above.
To take the test by the pay per test option, click on the 'Pay Now' button below where you can send payment online securely with your credit card or Pay Pal account. After your payment is submitted, click on ‘Return to Merchant' / gibneyCE.com. That will take you to the test sign in page followed by the test. Members with certifications from both ISA and SAF, please be sure to add both of your certification numbers. These numbers are important for reporting purposes.
To take the test as an annual subscriber with reduced rates, click on Password and enter your test password which will take you to the test sign in page. If you would like to become a subscriber see our Annual Subscription page for details.
When you have finished answering all questions you will be prompted to click ‘next’ to send your answers to gibneyCE.com. You can then click ‘next’ to view your test summary. A test review of your answers is available upon request.
All passing test scores are sent from gibneyCE.com to your organization(s) at the end of every month and they will appear on your certification record 4 to 6 weeks* after that. ISA maintains a record of CEU credits on their website.
*SAF requires 5 passing test scores before reporting.
Test re-takes are allowed, however you will have to pay for the retake if you are using the pay per test option. You can spend as much time as you would like to take the test but it is important not to leave the test site until you have answered all the questions and see the 'sending your answers' response.
Akira Miyawaki
Edited by Len Phillips
Forests begin with grass, then to pioneer tree species and finally 100 years later, to climax forest trees. Akira Miyawaki, a Japanese botanist and an expert in plant ecology studied how nature developed forests by forming tree communities from native species. Akira was born January 29, 1928 and died July 16, 2021 at the age of 93. In 1990 he won the Asahi Prize as a specialist in natural vegetation and restoration of degraded land.
Compared to man-made forests with imported and exotic species, Miyawaki wanted to understand why natural forests were so much denser, richer, and more resilient. The main goal was to find out which species, native vs. introduced, were most suitable for a specific site that allowed the trees to grow into mature multi-layer forests.
While a student of forest development, Miyawaki noticed that the forests around Japanese temples were quite different from the other forests he visited. Around these temple forests no one was allowed to touch the vegetation which he labeled as “Nature”. The trees and forests in Nature grew naturally and thrived without any human intervention.
Miyawaki’s studies took him to Japan’s ancient sacred shrine forests in search of the disconnectedness of healthy forests. He determined that trees occupy a foundational place in nature and that everything, animate or not, has a spirit or soul. Miyawaki determined that these mini-forests also thrived by increasing the organic matter content of the soil where the trees were planted. This was accomplished by adding compost, humic amendments such as dried manure, mulch or raw plant residues to the soil.
Miyawaki forests are small, some smaller than the average car parking space but they mitigate the effects of climate change and offer a host of other benefits.
In the 1970s, based on his studies in Japan, Miyawaki developed the idea of planting small forests that are densely packed with native plants. These “pocket forests” can be as tiny as 100 square feet (10 sq. meters) which is smaller than the average parking space. In contrast to the pocket forests, the world’s biggest Miyawaki forest is in Lahore, Pakistan and is over 500,000 square feet (11 acres). The size is far less important than the selection of native plants growing there.
Miyawaki specialized in psychophysiology which is the study of plant interactions. Plants have a social life. Miyawaki learned that the ultra-dense planting of different native species promotes symbiosis as well as competition for sunlight and other resources. Miyawaki discovered that these competitive conditions prompt forests to grow roughly 10 times faster than conventional forests.
Based on his studies, Miyawaki identified four basic plant types whose multi-dense, highly diverse, multi-layered, coexistence promotes and sustains the forests: 1. ground herbs, 2. shrubs, 3 secondary tree species, and 4 primary, canopy-forming trees. Miyawaki forests contain up to 100 native species from each of these four categories.
In addition, these forests offer more than just environmental benefits. They serve as outdoor classrooms for researchers, students, residents, and people who study real-time changes in the plants, soil, air, and pollinator populations. These forests also boost environmental factors that bolster the entire ecosystem. Volunteers who plant or tend Miyawaki forests report not only increased physiological health themselves but a deeper sense of belonging, as they made a commitment to the forest and the community.
More than 3,000 Miyawaki forests exist around the world, primarily in Asia and Europe. The trend is beginning to take hold in the United States. In 2021, the organization's “Biodiversity for a Livable Climate” and SUGi teamed up to plant the first Miyawaki forest in the Northeast in Cambridge, MA’s Danehy Park, a former landfill. In a 4,300-square-foot circle, the forest contains 1,400 trees belonging to 32 native species. Despite last summer’s drought, the forest is thriving: 98% of the trees planted are still alive, and many have doubled in size. The forest has already become home to birds, butterflies, bees, dragonflies, and many types of fungi.
Editor's Note:
The information presented on the Miyawaki system is for information only. It is NOT an endorsement of this tree planting effort.
Far too many plants and trees are compressed into an area that should contain only one tree if proper tree growth is to be expected. The cost and time are better spent planting properly spaced native trees.
Len Phillips
The test that follows contains 10 questions. Before taking the test be sure you have read the article carefully. The passing grade is 80% on the entire test.
ISA will award .5 CEUs* for a passing grade. SAF members will earn 0.5 Cat. 1-CF for every five passing test scores. The cost for taking this test is $10. If you purchase an annual subscription for 15 credits, the cost per credit is reduced by 50% (see Annual Subscription link below). We will report all passing test scores to ISA and/or SAF. If you are a member of ISA and SAF we will report your passing test scores to both for no additional cost. Please be sure to add both of your certification numbers when you sign in. Tests with passing scores may be submitted only once to each organization.
*Members of ISA may apply the 0.5 CEUs toward Certified Arborist, Municipal Specialist, Tree Worker/Climber, Utility Worker, Tree Worker/Aerial Lift, or BCMA science credits.
California UFC members will receive credit for passing the test. Please add your CaUFC number after your ISA and/or SAF certification number.
ASCA members may submit your ISA certification record to the ASCA and receive credits one for one.
MTOA members must follow the ISA instructions indicated above.
To take the test by the pay per test option, click on the 'Pay Now' button below where you can send payment online securely with your credit card or Pay Pal account. After your payment is submitted, click on ‘Return to Merchant' / gibneyCE.com. That will take you to the test sign in page followed by the test. Members with certifications from both ISA and SAF, please be sure to add both of your certification numbers. These numbers are important for reporting purposes.
To take the test as an annual subscriber with reduced rates, click on Password and enter your test password which will take you to the test sign in page. If you would like to become a subscriber see our Annual Subscription page for details.
When you have finished answering all questions you will be prompted to click ‘next’ to send your answers to gibneyCE.com. You can then click ‘next’ to view your test summary. A test review of your answers is available upon request.
All passing test scores are sent from gibneyCE.com to your organization(s) at the end of every month and they will appear on your certification record 4 to 6 weeks* after that. ISA maintains a record of CEU credits on their website.
*SAF requires 5 passing test scores before reporting.
Test re-takes are allowed, however you will have to pay for the retake if you are using the pay per test option. You can spend as much time as you would like to take the test but it is important not to leave the test site until you have answered all the questions and see the 'sending your answers' response.
Edited by Len Phillips
Forests begin with grass, then to pioneer tree species and finally 100 years later, to climax forest trees. Akira Miyawaki, a Japanese botanist and an expert in plant ecology studied how nature developed forests by forming tree communities from native species. Akira was born January 29, 1928 and died July 16, 2021 at the age of 93. In 1990 he won the Asahi Prize as a specialist in natural vegetation and restoration of degraded land.
Compared to man-made forests with imported and exotic species, Miyawaki wanted to understand why natural forests were so much denser, richer, and more resilient. The main goal was to find out which species, native vs. introduced, were most suitable for a specific site that allowed the trees to grow into mature multi-layer forests.
While a student of forest development, Miyawaki noticed that the forests around Japanese temples were quite different from the other forests he visited. Around these temple forests no one was allowed to touch the vegetation which he labeled as “Nature”. The trees and forests in Nature grew naturally and thrived without any human intervention.
Miyawaki’s studies took him to Japan’s ancient sacred shrine forests in search of the disconnectedness of healthy forests. He determined that trees occupy a foundational place in nature and that everything, animate or not, has a spirit or soul. Miyawaki determined that these mini-forests also thrived by increasing the organic matter content of the soil where the trees were planted. This was accomplished by adding compost, humic amendments such as dried manure, mulch or raw plant residues to the soil.
Miyawaki forests are small, some smaller than the average car parking space but they mitigate the effects of climate change and offer a host of other benefits.
In the 1970s, based on his studies in Japan, Miyawaki developed the idea of planting small forests that are densely packed with native plants. These “pocket forests” can be as tiny as 100 square feet (10 sq. meters) which is smaller than the average parking space. In contrast to the pocket forests, the world’s biggest Miyawaki forest is in Lahore, Pakistan and is over 500,000 square feet (11 acres). The size is far less important than the selection of native plants growing there.
Miyawaki specialized in psychophysiology which is the study of plant interactions. Plants have a social life. Miyawaki learned that the ultra-dense planting of different native species promotes symbiosis as well as competition for sunlight and other resources. Miyawaki discovered that these competitive conditions prompt forests to grow roughly 10 times faster than conventional forests.
Based on his studies, Miyawaki identified four basic plant types whose multi-dense, highly diverse, multi-layered, coexistence promotes and sustains the forests: 1. ground herbs, 2. shrubs, 3 secondary tree species, and 4 primary, canopy-forming trees. Miyawaki forests contain up to 100 native species from each of these four categories.
In addition, these forests offer more than just environmental benefits. They serve as outdoor classrooms for researchers, students, residents, and people who study real-time changes in the plants, soil, air, and pollinator populations. These forests also boost environmental factors that bolster the entire ecosystem. Volunteers who plant or tend Miyawaki forests report not only increased physiological health themselves but a deeper sense of belonging, as they made a commitment to the forest and the community.
More than 3,000 Miyawaki forests exist around the world, primarily in Asia and Europe. The trend is beginning to take hold in the United States. In 2021, the organization's “Biodiversity for a Livable Climate” and SUGi teamed up to plant the first Miyawaki forest in the Northeast in Cambridge, MA’s Danehy Park, a former landfill. In a 4,300-square-foot circle, the forest contains 1,400 trees belonging to 32 native species. Despite last summer’s drought, the forest is thriving: 98% of the trees planted are still alive, and many have doubled in size. The forest has already become home to birds, butterflies, bees, dragonflies, and many types of fungi.
Editor's Note:
The information presented on the Miyawaki system is for information only. It is NOT an endorsement of this tree planting effort.
Far too many plants and trees are compressed into an area that should contain only one tree if proper tree growth is to be expected. The cost and time are better spent planting properly spaced native trees.
Len Phillips
The test that follows contains 10 questions. Before taking the test be sure you have read the article carefully. The passing grade is 80% on the entire test.
ISA will award .5 CEUs* for a passing grade. SAF members will earn 0.5 Cat. 1-CF for every five passing test scores. The cost for taking this test is $10. If you purchase an annual subscription for 15 credits, the cost per credit is reduced by 50% (see Annual Subscription link below). We will report all passing test scores to ISA and/or SAF. If you are a member of ISA and SAF we will report your passing test scores to both for no additional cost. Please be sure to add both of your certification numbers when you sign in. Tests with passing scores may be submitted only once to each organization.
*Members of ISA may apply the 0.5 CEUs toward Certified Arborist, Municipal Specialist, Tree Worker/Climber, Utility Worker, Tree Worker/Aerial Lift, or BCMA science credits.
California UFC members will receive credit for passing the test. Please add your CaUFC number after your ISA and/or SAF certification number.
ASCA members may submit your ISA certification record to the ASCA and receive credits one for one.
MTOA members must follow the ISA instructions indicated above.
To take the test by the pay per test option, click on the 'Pay Now' button below where you can send payment online securely with your credit card or Pay Pal account. After your payment is submitted, click on ‘Return to Merchant' / gibneyCE.com. That will take you to the test sign in page followed by the test. Members with certifications from both ISA and SAF, please be sure to add both of your certification numbers. These numbers are important for reporting purposes.
To take the test as an annual subscriber with reduced rates, click on Password and enter your test password which will take you to the test sign in page. If you would like to become a subscriber see our Annual Subscription page for details.
When you have finished answering all questions you will be prompted to click ‘next’ to send your answers to gibneyCE.com. You can then click ‘next’ to view your test summary. A test review of your answers is available upon request.
All passing test scores are sent from gibneyCE.com to your organization(s) at the end of every month and they will appear on your certification record 4 to 6 weeks* after that. ISA maintains a record of CEU credits on their website.
*SAF requires 5 passing test scores before reporting.
Test re-takes are allowed, however you will have to pay for the retake if you are using the pay per test option. You can spend as much time as you would like to take the test but it is important not to leave the test site until you have answered all the questions and see the 'sending your answers' response.
Miyawaki Method of Reforestation
Edited by Len Phillips
Miyawaki discovered and refined four main lessons from Nature and applied these lessons to more than 1,700 mini-forest projects around the world. They are in very different environments and he called them the: “Miyawaki Method of Reforestation”
Miyawaki Method #1
Close collaboration provides the best results. City trees suffer in an artificial forest of 1 tree every 30 feet (10 meters), planted in a line. The opposite is the case inside a natural forest where the density of the trees varies considerably. In this natural forest, the trees interconnect their roots underground, with the help of mycelium. They share nutrients and information, in a cooperative effort. Scientists called this underground network the “Wood Wide Web”.
In the natural forests, each tree is a member and has its place in the community. From the old mother tree to the young shoots and seedlings, from the tree that loves sunlight to the species that prefers more shade.
This cooperation effort explains the higher growth rate of dense Miyawaki forests. In the end, the Miyawaki forests grow 10 times faster than conventional man-made forests. Rather than being isolated, the trees collaborate together and share resources for growth and the common good.
Dr. Miyawaki first studied the local environments at each of his project sites around the world. His aim was to adapt to the local needs. He planted from 2 trees/m² in a hardwood forest, up to 7 trees/m² in his mangrove projects.
Miyawaki Method #2
A monoculture is much easier to handle in terms of costs, logistics, management and return of investment. But in the end, you get a forest of cloned trees. This type of monoculture forest has a low capacity of adaptation and a high likelihood of a pest invasion.
In natural forests, several dozen species are present and growing in a mix of many different species. This makes it a resilient forest and able to handle outside attacks. There is no fast spread like in a monoculture forest. Different species, side by side, will be able to stop the pest attack. Stronger trees will share nutrients with weaker ones. Species with deeper roots will bring water to others. It is called an anti-fragile system.
A Miyawaki forest has different species of various heights. A dense multi-layered forest will be a shield against the burning sun and storm winds while also preserving moisture that allows all members to thrive.
Miyawaki Method #3
Accept chaos and adapt. In natural forests, fertilization is done by the wind or by wandering pollinators. Young trees can begin life anywhere from the foot of the mother tree to a few miles away. It is a total random disorder.
This Method provides the best protection from storms. Any outside energy that attempts to attack this forest will be dissipated in a turbulent flow. This gives a plantation a non-linear layout and that is much closer to what Nature does.
Miyawaki Method #4
To keep growing, you need good roots. This is true for trees but also for human beings. When you imagine a natural forest, you can easily feel a soft and smooth ground. In comparison, most urban lands have a compact and hard soil.
On this soil, it will be quite difficult and energy-consuming for trees to develop deep roots. In the Miyawaki method, soil preparation is a cornerstone. This requires a soft and loose soil. With no pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Nature brings the organic enrichment in a balanced ecosystem.
A good health of the soil is the basis of a thriving forest. If you want to grow a Miyawaki forest, you will weed twice a year for two years. After that, your mini forest will be completely maintenance-free. This healthy soil is a major contributor to the success of Miyawaki forests. This partly explains why the seedling survival rate is better.
Editor's Note:
The information presented on the Miyawaki system is for information only. It is NOT an endorsement of this tree planting effort.
Far too many plants and trees are compressed into an area that should contain only one tree if proper tree growth is to be expected. The cost and time are better spent planting properly spaced native trees.
Len Phillips
Source
The test that follows contains 10 questions. Before taking the test be sure you have read the article carefully. The passing grade is 80% on the entire test.
ISA will award .5 CEUs* for a passing grade. SAF members will earn 0.5 Cat. 1-CF for every five passing test scores. The cost for taking this test is $10. If you purchase an annual subscription for 15 credits, the cost per credit is reduced by 50% (see Annual Subscription link below). We will report all passing test scores to ISA and/or SAF. If you are a member of ISA and SAF we will report your passing test scores to both for no additional cost. Please be sure to add both of your certification numbers when you sign in. Tests with passing scores may be submitted only once to each organization.
*Members of ISA may apply the 0.5 CEUs toward Certified Arborist, Municipal Specialist, Tree Worker/Climber, Utility Worker, Tree Worker/Aerial Lift, or BCMA practice credits.
California UFC members will receive credit for passing the test. Please add your CaUFC number after your ISA and/or SAF certification number.
ASCA members may submit your ISA certification record to the ASCA and receive credits one for one.
MTOA members must follow the ISA instructions indicated above.
To take the test by the pay per test option, click on the 'Pay Now' button below where you can send payment online securely with your credit card or Pay Pal account. After your payment is submitted, click on ‘Return to Merchant' / gibneyCE.com. That will take you to the test sign in page followed by the test. Members with certifications from both ISA and SAF, please be sure to add both of your certification numbers. These numbers are important for reporting purposes.
To take the test as an annual subscriber with reduced rates, click on Password and enter your test password which will take you to the test sign in page. If you would like to become a subscriber see our Annual Subscription page for details.
When you have finished answering all questions you will be prompted to click ‘next’ to send your answers to gibneyCE.com. You can then click ‘next’ to view your test summary. A test review of your answers is available upon request.
All passing test scores are sent from gibneyCE.com to your organization(s) at the end of every month and they will appear on your certification record 4 to 6 weeks* after that. ISA maintains a record of CEU credits on their website.
*SAF requires 5 passing test scores before reporting.
Test re-takes are allowed, however you will have to pay for the retake if you are using the pay per test option. You can spend as much time as you would like to take the test but it is important not to leave the test site until you have answered all the questions and see the 'sending your answers' response.
Edited by Len Phillips
Miyawaki discovered and refined four main lessons from Nature and applied these lessons to more than 1,700 mini-forest projects around the world. They are in very different environments and he called them the: “Miyawaki Method of Reforestation”
Miyawaki Method #1
Close collaboration provides the best results. City trees suffer in an artificial forest of 1 tree every 30 feet (10 meters), planted in a line. The opposite is the case inside a natural forest where the density of the trees varies considerably. In this natural forest, the trees interconnect their roots underground, with the help of mycelium. They share nutrients and information, in a cooperative effort. Scientists called this underground network the “Wood Wide Web”.
In the natural forests, each tree is a member and has its place in the community. From the old mother tree to the young shoots and seedlings, from the tree that loves sunlight to the species that prefers more shade.
This cooperation effort explains the higher growth rate of dense Miyawaki forests. In the end, the Miyawaki forests grow 10 times faster than conventional man-made forests. Rather than being isolated, the trees collaborate together and share resources for growth and the common good.
Dr. Miyawaki first studied the local environments at each of his project sites around the world. His aim was to adapt to the local needs. He planted from 2 trees/m² in a hardwood forest, up to 7 trees/m² in his mangrove projects.
Miyawaki Method #2
A monoculture is much easier to handle in terms of costs, logistics, management and return of investment. But in the end, you get a forest of cloned trees. This type of monoculture forest has a low capacity of adaptation and a high likelihood of a pest invasion.
In natural forests, several dozen species are present and growing in a mix of many different species. This makes it a resilient forest and able to handle outside attacks. There is no fast spread like in a monoculture forest. Different species, side by side, will be able to stop the pest attack. Stronger trees will share nutrients with weaker ones. Species with deeper roots will bring water to others. It is called an anti-fragile system.
A Miyawaki forest has different species of various heights. A dense multi-layered forest will be a shield against the burning sun and storm winds while also preserving moisture that allows all members to thrive.
Miyawaki Method #3
Accept chaos and adapt. In natural forests, fertilization is done by the wind or by wandering pollinators. Young trees can begin life anywhere from the foot of the mother tree to a few miles away. It is a total random disorder.
This Method provides the best protection from storms. Any outside energy that attempts to attack this forest will be dissipated in a turbulent flow. This gives a plantation a non-linear layout and that is much closer to what Nature does.
Miyawaki Method #4
To keep growing, you need good roots. This is true for trees but also for human beings. When you imagine a natural forest, you can easily feel a soft and smooth ground. In comparison, most urban lands have a compact and hard soil.
On this soil, it will be quite difficult and energy-consuming for trees to develop deep roots. In the Miyawaki method, soil preparation is a cornerstone. This requires a soft and loose soil. With no pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Nature brings the organic enrichment in a balanced ecosystem.
A good health of the soil is the basis of a thriving forest. If you want to grow a Miyawaki forest, you will weed twice a year for two years. After that, your mini forest will be completely maintenance-free. This healthy soil is a major contributor to the success of Miyawaki forests. This partly explains why the seedling survival rate is better.
Editor's Note:
The information presented on the Miyawaki system is for information only. It is NOT an endorsement of this tree planting effort.
Far too many plants and trees are compressed into an area that should contain only one tree if proper tree growth is to be expected. The cost and time are better spent planting properly spaced native trees.
Len Phillips
Source
- renature.com/articles/are-miyawaki-mini-forest-regenerative.com
The test that follows contains 10 questions. Before taking the test be sure you have read the article carefully. The passing grade is 80% on the entire test.
ISA will award .5 CEUs* for a passing grade. SAF members will earn 0.5 Cat. 1-CF for every five passing test scores. The cost for taking this test is $10. If you purchase an annual subscription for 15 credits, the cost per credit is reduced by 50% (see Annual Subscription link below). We will report all passing test scores to ISA and/or SAF. If you are a member of ISA and SAF we will report your passing test scores to both for no additional cost. Please be sure to add both of your certification numbers when you sign in. Tests with passing scores may be submitted only once to each organization.
*Members of ISA may apply the 0.5 CEUs toward Certified Arborist, Municipal Specialist, Tree Worker/Climber, Utility Worker, Tree Worker/Aerial Lift, or BCMA practice credits.
California UFC members will receive credit for passing the test. Please add your CaUFC number after your ISA and/or SAF certification number.
ASCA members may submit your ISA certification record to the ASCA and receive credits one for one.
MTOA members must follow the ISA instructions indicated above.
To take the test by the pay per test option, click on the 'Pay Now' button below where you can send payment online securely with your credit card or Pay Pal account. After your payment is submitted, click on ‘Return to Merchant' / gibneyCE.com. That will take you to the test sign in page followed by the test. Members with certifications from both ISA and SAF, please be sure to add both of your certification numbers. These numbers are important for reporting purposes.
To take the test as an annual subscriber with reduced rates, click on Password and enter your test password which will take you to the test sign in page. If you would like to become a subscriber see our Annual Subscription page for details.
When you have finished answering all questions you will be prompted to click ‘next’ to send your answers to gibneyCE.com. You can then click ‘next’ to view your test summary. A test review of your answers is available upon request.
All passing test scores are sent from gibneyCE.com to your organization(s) at the end of every month and they will appear on your certification record 4 to 6 weeks* after that. ISA maintains a record of CEU credits on their website.
*SAF requires 5 passing test scores before reporting.
Test re-takes are allowed, however you will have to pay for the retake if you are using the pay per test option. You can spend as much time as you would like to take the test but it is important not to leave the test site until you have answered all the questions and see the 'sending your answers' response.
The following is informational only. There is not a test for CEUs.
FYI
Narrow Street Trees
This is a list of columnar trees that are 25' wide or less and will make suitable street trees:
Acer x freemani ‘Celebration’ -- 'Celebration' Hybrid Maple 50' tall 20' wide
Acer x freemani ‘Scarlet Sentinel’ -- 'Scarlet Sentinel’ Hybrid Maple 40-45' tall 20-25' wide
Acer rubrum 'Armstrong' -- Fastigiate Red Maple 50-60' tall 15-25' wide
Acer saccharum 'Goldspire' -- Goldspire Maple 40' tall 10-15' wide
Carpinus betulus 'Columnaris' -- Columnar European Hornbeam 25' tall 10' wide
Carpinus betulus 'Fastigiata' -- Upright European Hornbeam 30' tall 20' wide
Fagus sylvatica ‘Fastigiata’ -- Pyramidal Beech 60' tall 15' wide
Ginkgo biloba 'Magyar' -- Magyar Upright Ginkgo 50' tall 25' wide
Ginkgo biloba 'Princeton Sentry' -- Princeton Sentry Ginkgo 65' tall 15-20'wide
Koelreuteria paniculata ‘Fastigiata’ -- ‘Fastigiata’ Goldenraintree 30' tall 4-6' wide
Liriodendron tulipifera ‘Fastigiatum’ -- Columnar Tulip Tree 60' tall 20' wide
Prunus sargentii 'Spire' -- Columnar Sargent Cherry 25' tall 15' wide
Quercus palustris "Pringreen" -- Green Pillar Pin Oak 45' tall 15' wide
Quercus robur 'Fastigiata' -- Columnar English Oak 50-60' tall 10-18' wide
Quercus robur x Q. alba 'Crimsmidt' -- Crimson Spire Oak 45' tall 15' wide
Quercus x warei 'Long' Regal Prince -- Regal Prince Oak 40-60' tall 20-25' wide
Source
FYI
Narrow Street Trees
This is a list of columnar trees that are 25' wide or less and will make suitable street trees:
Acer x freemani ‘Celebration’ -- 'Celebration' Hybrid Maple 50' tall 20' wide
Acer x freemani ‘Scarlet Sentinel’ -- 'Scarlet Sentinel’ Hybrid Maple 40-45' tall 20-25' wide
Acer rubrum 'Armstrong' -- Fastigiate Red Maple 50-60' tall 15-25' wide
Acer saccharum 'Goldspire' -- Goldspire Maple 40' tall 10-15' wide
Carpinus betulus 'Columnaris' -- Columnar European Hornbeam 25' tall 10' wide
Carpinus betulus 'Fastigiata' -- Upright European Hornbeam 30' tall 20' wide
Fagus sylvatica ‘Fastigiata’ -- Pyramidal Beech 60' tall 15' wide
Ginkgo biloba 'Magyar' -- Magyar Upright Ginkgo 50' tall 25' wide
Ginkgo biloba 'Princeton Sentry' -- Princeton Sentry Ginkgo 65' tall 15-20'wide
Koelreuteria paniculata ‘Fastigiata’ -- ‘Fastigiata’ Goldenraintree 30' tall 4-6' wide
Liriodendron tulipifera ‘Fastigiatum’ -- Columnar Tulip Tree 60' tall 20' wide
Prunus sargentii 'Spire' -- Columnar Sargent Cherry 25' tall 15' wide
Quercus palustris "Pringreen" -- Green Pillar Pin Oak 45' tall 15' wide
Quercus robur 'Fastigiata' -- Columnar English Oak 50-60' tall 10-18' wide
Quercus robur x Q. alba 'Crimsmidt' -- Crimson Spire Oak 45' tall 15' wide
Quercus x warei 'Long' Regal Prince -- Regal Prince Oak 40-60' tall 20-25' wide
Source
- “Narrow Streets” tree list (page 5) on the Philadelphia Approved Street Tree List