Community forestry is the art and science of managing individual trees, tree stands, forests, and green spaces. A community forester is involved in assessment and appraisal of urban trees and sites, community planning and design decisions related to trees, community engagement and education, developing ordinances for tree protection, maintaining reliable and safe utility lines, and more. Community foresters often work with a variety of local leaders to sustainably protect and manage trees. Arboriculture is the cultivation, health care, and management of individual trees in rural, suburban, and urban places, including trees that grow among community hardscapes, urban canyons, streets, highways, yards, parks, cemeteries, schools, rights-of-way, utility lines, and buildings. Through knowledge of tree biology and physiology, tree biomechanics, maintenance, health care and risk assessment, arborists address the range of challenges faced by trees in constrained, human-engineered environments. Arborists also use new technology to improve effectiveness and safety on the job, such as drone technology, spatial analysis data and software, and resistance-measuring devices. Graduate Degrees in Community Forestry and Arboriculture Graduates gather resident input on trees, sites, and local environmental issues, and may work as: Tree, forest, and environmental advocates for interest groups and nongovernmental organizations Municipal foresters Commercial forest health care providers Community planners, designers, and consultants Graduates are also encouraged to become certified arborists through the International Society of Arboriculture. Arborists may work for: Commercial tree health care and estate management firms Municipal governments Non-government organizations Utility providers CURRICULUM Community Forestry and Arboriculture can be pursued under the MNR, MS, and PhD degree programs. To pursue COFA as an official area of emphasis, the following courses are required for each degree: Course ID Name Hours* Choose at least 1: COFA 7500 Community Forest Management 3 COFA 7010/L Urban Tree Management II 4 Electives: COFA 7001 Urban Tree Management ! 3 COFA 7300/L Community and Urban Soils and Site Development 4 COFA 7980 COFA Problems 1-3 * Total of 9 hours required for AOE Questions? For general questions about pursuing a graduate degree at Warnell, contact a member of the graduate team: Dr. Jacek Siry, Graduate Coordinator Office: 4-501 Phone: 706-542-3060 Kate deDufour, Graduate Program Administrator Office: 1-217 Phone: 706-542-1183 Prospective students should also contact faculty members for questions specific to this disciplinary area. Please check faculty members’ personal pages for information about their individual research interests and projects to ensure that you are contacting the most relevant ones.
