TY - JOUR
T1 - Healthy trees – Healthy people
T2 - A model for engaging citizen scientists in exotic pest detection in urban parks
AU - Norman-Burgdolf, Heather
AU - Rieske, Lynne K.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Author(s)
PY - 2021/5
Y1 - 2021/5
N2 - Healthy Trees – Healthy People (HT-HP) is an outreach and education program created to enlist and train participants in exotic pest detection while providing them with structured opportunities to connect with urban nature and increase their physical and emotional health. HT- HP creates infrastructure to increase engagement by the urban populace in the urban tree canopy. The program solicits participants to engage in an 8-week intervention designed to expand capacity to detect non-native insect pests and pathogens, while increasing physical activity, raising awareness of healthy lifestyle choices, and improving the health of participants. Program participants were trained in tree and tree pest identification to provide ‘eyes on the ground’ that can contribute to exotic pest detection, reducing the risk of pest establishment, and increasing the sustainability of urban tree canopies. Participants in this pilot program reported significant improvements in their knowledge of tree identification and tree care, an awareness of, and ability to identify selected exotic invasive tree pests, and improved mindfulness. Healthy Trees – Healthy People is nimble, easily adaptable, and serves as a unique model that could include tailored tree identification and pest detection. The program can engage citizen scientists in exotic pest detection while increasing usage of urban parks.
AB - Healthy Trees – Healthy People (HT-HP) is an outreach and education program created to enlist and train participants in exotic pest detection while providing them with structured opportunities to connect with urban nature and increase their physical and emotional health. HT- HP creates infrastructure to increase engagement by the urban populace in the urban tree canopy. The program solicits participants to engage in an 8-week intervention designed to expand capacity to detect non-native insect pests and pathogens, while increasing physical activity, raising awareness of healthy lifestyle choices, and improving the health of participants. Program participants were trained in tree and tree pest identification to provide ‘eyes on the ground’ that can contribute to exotic pest detection, reducing the risk of pest establishment, and increasing the sustainability of urban tree canopies. Participants in this pilot program reported significant improvements in their knowledge of tree identification and tree care, an awareness of, and ability to identify selected exotic invasive tree pests, and improved mindfulness. Healthy Trees – Healthy People is nimble, easily adaptable, and serves as a unique model that could include tailored tree identification and pest detection. The program can engage citizen scientists in exotic pest detection while increasing usage of urban parks.
KW - Community based-monitoring
KW - Green space
KW - Invasive species
KW - Mindfulness
KW - Urban trees
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85102127291&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85102127291&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ufug.2021.127067
DO - 10.1016/j.ufug.2021.127067
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85102127291
SN - 1618-8667
VL - 60
JO - Urban Forestry and Urban Greening
JF - Urban Forestry and Urban Greening
M1 - 127067
ER -