How's the Arborist knowledge about the other landscape stuff?

[M.D. Vaden]

When I was on Oregon's license board for landscape contractors, one industry difficulty that showed it's face, was Green Industry professionals dispersed into segments of the industry.

Like, landscape architects often do not understand pruning and trees. Landscapers often don't understand about design or pruning. Arborists often don't understand about the smaller elements of landscaping.

For example, many tree services will immediately remove a large tree at the customer request. But another service may recommend postponing removal for several months to prepare understory beds and plants for a change in light exposure.

The landscape program I attended in Portland, OR, had a balanced approach to landscape education. Certified Arborists were teaching mulitple tree care classes, there was a Bonsai Master for Bonsai, a Landscape Architect was teaching Plant ID, etc.. etc..

I was curious about the nature and trend of the tree care college / university programs across the USA.

Are other colleges with tree programs incorporating a substantial amount of related landscape education for people in the classes?

 

[jomoco]

You put your finger on a huge problem

It's the landscape architect, usually bowing to pressure from the land developer that creates alot of problems for the end customer by overcrowding trees together and planting too close to bldgs and generally placing trees in lawn areas that are over watered and fertilised.

This is done to create the illusion of a lush green landscape as fast as possible so the land developer can sell quick and recoup on his investment.

Ironicly it creates alot of business for tree companies in the short and long term scheme of things, it's the home owner or HOA that takes it in the pants.

Here in San Diego, many of the community colleges have excellent horticultural classes that try to address this problem, and happily there are more and more home builders and land development companies that are getting the message that long term and low water use landscape architecture design is beneficial for all of us.

jomoco

 

[underwor]

Here is a link to the classes in our forestry program. When I set it up, I tried to include everything that I had worked with in the 25 years that I had worked in the field. You will have to scroll down a ways on the page to find the courses. I think that it is pretty well rounded. The students don't come out 100% proficient in any one category, but have been exposed to a wide variety of issues that they will face in the arboriculture and landscaping fields.

If you have any questions about the classes, just drop a line.

http://www.misu-b.nodak.edu/MSU-B 2004-06 Catalog.pdf#page=92

 

[M.D. Vaden]

Here is a link to the classes in our forestry program. When I set it up, I tried to include everything that I had worked with in the 25 years that I had worked in the field. You will have to scroll down a ways on the page to find the courses. I think that it is pretty well rounded. The students don't come out 100% proficient in any one category, but have been exposed to a wide variety of issues that they will face in the arboriculture and landscaping fields.

If you have any questions about the classes, just drop a line.

http://www.misu-b.nodak.edu/MSU-B 2004-06 Catalog.pdf#page=92

There's definietly some diversity in there.

The one class that includes prairie forestry - is that lke a local native plants class for trees, or something different?

What makes a prarie, a prarie?

 

[underwor]

The Intro to Prairie and Community Forestry Class title is a standard title for introductory forestry classes between us and NDSU. They have a rather limited view of the forestry world, shelterbelts and cities. My class looks at global forestry issues, I expect my students to go further than theirs I guess. We look at where the forests are, what they are composed of, role in economic development, appropriateness of various management and harvesting systems, trends and environmental issues, among other things. Except for the hills north of town, most of the trees you can see from here were planted, most of them about 50 - 60 years ago.

I teach all the forestry, soil and turf classes, so I get a wide range of opinions thrown at me in the course of a year. Keeps life interesting.

 

[Thillmaine]

A lot

I am an arborist and I think its vital that we understand the landscape industry and there goals in the Green Industry. Working with anothe company and communicating is key when trying to achieve a common goal aka impressing the owner

 

[(WLL)]

I am an arborist and I think its vital that we understand the landscape industry and there goals in the Green Industry. Working with anothe company and communicating is key when trying to achieve a common goal aka impressing the owner

great thread i very much agree

 

[M.D. Vaden]

The Intro to Prairie and Community Forestry Class title is a standard title for introductory forestry classes between us and NDSU. They have a rather limited view of the forestry world, shelterbelts and cities. My class looks at global forestry issues, I expect my students to go further than theirs I guess. We look at where the forests are, what they are composed of, role in economic development, appropriateness of various management and harvesting systems, trends and environmental issues, among other things. Except for the hills north of town, most of the trees you can see from here were planted, most of them about 50 - 60 years ago.

I teach all the forestry, soil and turf classes, so I get a wide range of opinions thrown at me in the course of a year. Keeps life interesting.

You probably know most of anything I've noted, but you might get a kick out a page I've been piecing together on forest management. It's like my notepad in topic form... If I was going to send an opinion page to a newspaper, it would reflect this page...

http://www.mdvaden.com/forest_resources_institute.shtml

The page is not exactly what some people might expect from the title which is "Forests are not a Renewable Resource"

Not sure how the page comes across to others, but I try to be as middle-ground as middle-ground can be.

 

[underwor]

M. D. Excellent article. It may be a reading assignment for my Intro class. I enjoy your photos too.