Prochaska, S. C., Extension Educator, Ohio State University Extension
Hoffman, M, Ohio State University Student

ABSTRACT

Inappropriate selection, planting and care of municipal street trees can be a source of significant property damage, a threat to human health and result in added property maintenance expense. An educational and applied research project, Street Tree Resource Evaluation and Education Trust (STREET), was conducted to train Master Gardener volunteers to identify, and inventory Bucyrus street trees; educate city government on need for an innovative street tree program; to secure funding for citizen tree planting; to educate citizens on street tree planting and to compare citizen tree planting to landscape contractor planting by tree survival and tree planting depth. Educational outcomes of STREET included: strong city government support for innovative tree program (including the transfer of $4000 dollars to tree acquisition); identification, evaluation, and inventory of Bucyrus street trees by Master Gardener volunteers; grant written and funded at $5000 for street trees; and education of citizens on appropriate street tree placement and planting. Trees planted by citizens and contractors were analyzed for new growth, depth of planting and survival. Applied research outcomes included: citizen planted trees were higher above grade than the landscape contractor, and citizen tree survival was equivalent to the professional contractor. This study suggests citizens are able, after education, to plant trees with survival rates equivalent to landscape contractors.
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