Tree health analysis in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area

Urban trees contribute significantly to human health and
environmental quality but assessments of their health are rare.  This
project involved developing an urban tree health monitoring protocol for use in
the Southwestern US and using it to conduct field assessments of urban tree
health in the Phoenix urban ecosystem during the winter/spring of
2006.  Field manuals prepared by the USDA Forest Service for use in
monitoring urban forest health (Cumming et al. 2001) were adapted to reflect the
unique stresses and diseases that occur in urban areas in the southwestern
US.  Tree health was then assessed using  a subset of
 field plots that have been established as part of the Survey 200
project and NPP intensive monitoring project as a foci.  Ten to fifteen
trees were assessed at each site for general tree health including canopy
condition, canopy dieback and disease and pest problems.  Abiotic
problems were also assessed including stress problems, nutrient deficiency
symptoms, improper pruning practices, trunk damage and girdling.