To Speak for the Trees: A Self-Guided Arboriculture Tour at Morris Arboretum

Morris Arboretum has been a place where the public can experience and appreciate the beauty and inspiration of majestic trees on a preserved historic site for nearly a century. The Arboretum has invested significant resources in the education of citizens and professionals in the tree-care industry both through the School of Arboriculture and other educational programs. This internship project is a three-fold effort to create new material that can help disseminate valuable knowledge and understanding of arboriculture practices to visitors at the Arboretum. The foundational product is an online self-guided tour of the Arboretum highlighting and explaining arboricultural practices and techniques that have been employed throughout the garden. This tour is an ArcGIS Story Map and it includes information about tree biology and function as well as details about specific pruning practices and management strategies. Building on this curriculum, the other two components of the project will be two classes that will take place in May 2016. The first is a class for the Volunteer Education Guides that will focus on providing answers to frequently asked questions they receive from visitors. A second class, designed for home-owners, will be offered through the education department and focus on how people can influence the health of their own trees as well as when to seek professional input.