VCE Advanced Master Gardener

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Advanced Master GardenerTree Stewards

• Introduction
• Frank Reilly

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Advanced Master Gardener Programs

• Tree Stewards
• Water
• Land care
• Wildlife/Habitat
• Others

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Advanced Master Gardener Programs

• Sponsored by Virginia Department of Forestry
  through the Urban Community Assistance Grant
  Program
• Developed by Department of Horticulture
• 10 years of effort
• 2 years of final preparation and review

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Advanced Master Gardener Programs

• Open to Master Gardeners
• Technical Training
• Programmatic Training
• Internship period
• Project
• Service

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Advanced Master Gardener Programs

• Technical Training
• Unit 1 Overview Benefits of Trees to the
  Community
• Unit 2 Tree Biology and Soil/Site Limitations
• Unit 3 Urban Tree Problems Diagnosis
• Unit 4 Basic Tree Selection
• Unit 5 Trees for Various Sites
• Unit 6 Optimal Tree Planting
• Unit 7 Pruning and Training Trees
• Unit 8 Street Tree Inventories

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Advanced Master Gardener Programs

• Unit 1 Overview
• OBJECTIVES
• Know why trees are important to our communities
• Economically
• Non-Economically
• Understand the purpose and organization of
  Advanced Master Gardener Tree Steward
• Learn the essentials of a well-rounded MGTS
  program
• Complete and return volunteer agreement form.
• Understanding Trees
• Benefits of trees to the Community?
• What is the place of Advanced Master Gardener
  Tree Stewards in the community?
• Becoming an Advanced Master Gardener Tree Steward
• Introduction to the program
• Creating a lasting impact through education

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Advanced Master Gardener Programs

• Unit 2 Tree Biology and Urban Soils
• Objectives
• Understand tree root spread Distribution and
  its implications.
• Learn basic tree biology including transpiration,
  formation of bark function of cambium,
  physiological requirements of roots.
• Understand water and nutrient relations in urban
  soils and their influence on urban trees.
• Understanding Trees
• Tree Biology
• Assessing Urban Soils and site limitations

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Advanced Master Gardener Programs

• Unit 3 Urban Tree Problems and Their Diagnosis
• OBJECTIVES
• Become familiar with typical environmental
  stresses experienced by urban and community shade
  trees
• Learn the basics of diagnosing shade tree
  problems and steps to remedy them
• Understanding Trees
• The Urban Environment
• Plant Management
• Diseases and Pests
• Construction Impacts

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Advanced Master Gardener Programs

• Unit 4 Basic Tree Selection
• OBJECTIVES
• Be familiar with the following factors in tree
  selection
• Achieving species diversity
• Choosing cultivars
• Choosing native or exotic species
• Understand tree morphology as an aid to tree
  identification
• Learn to identify trees
• Understanding Trees
• Background information for plant identification
• Considerations for species and cultivar selection
• Identification List 1

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Advanced Master Gardener Programs

• Unit 5 Trees for various sites
• Objectives
• Learn Trees on Identification list
• Increase knowledge of trees recommended for
  various site conditions
• Understanding Trees
• Specific uses of trees
• Trees for various sites
• Identification List 2

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Advanced Master Gardener Programs

• Unit 6 Optimal Tree Planting
• Objectives
• Learn characteristics of high quality trees
• Learn optimum planting and initial maintenance
  practices for shade trees
• Understanding Trees
• Characteristics of quality trees
• Trees care
• Planting
• Staking
• Wrapping
• Mulching and
• Watering

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Advanced Master Gardener Programs

• Unit 7 Pruning Training Trees
• Objectives
• Learn the training pruning requirements of
  shade trees
• Understand tree wound compartmentalization
• Understand the importance of initial maintenance
  in tree survival
• Understanding Trees
• Mechanisms of wound closure
• Tree hazard prevention

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Advanced Master Gardener Programs

• Unit 8 Identifying Tree Problems
• Objectives
• Be able to identify tree problems
• Understanding Trees
• Conducting tree inventories
• Tour of community discussion of Social,
  Technical, and Management issues in Urban
  Forestry

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Advanced Master Gardener Programs

• Unit 10 Project and Presentation of Project
• Objectives
• In conjunction with your home Unit!
• Identify Community needs
• Propose programs to meet those needs
• Present program plan
• Set schedule for years programming
• Report to State Master Gardener Coordinator

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The Manual

• Manual organization
• Outline
• Suggested readings
• Other resources
• Some programmatic materials

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Unit 1 OverviewOBJECTIVES Know why trees are
important to our communities in both Economic and
non-Economic terms

• Why are trees important?

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Trees play a vital role in our community

• Reduce heating and cooling costs
• Stimulate economic development
• Improve tax base
• Attract new families

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Trees play a vital role in our community

• Help clean air and water
• Reduce erosion and flooding
• Moderate temperature
• Lessen energy demands

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Where would you like to live, work, and play?
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Some Non-economic benefits of trees

• Studies show trees relieve stress and shorten
  recovery times

• Trees provide color, shade, fragrance

• Trees lower health risks, crime, violence

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Some Non-economic benefits of trees

• Trees enhance roadways
• They buffer noise and headlight glare
• Help drivers cope with stress

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Trees are essential to the environment

• Trap rainfall
• Roots prevent erosion
• Replenish groundwater
• Reduce flooding
• Reduce flooding damage

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Trees affect the hydrologic cycle
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Hydrograph
Developed Condition, Conventional CN (Higher
Peak, More Volume, and Earlier Peak Time)
Q
Existing Condition
T
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Trees affect the hydrologic cycle
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Trees save communities money
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Trees save energy

• Deciduous tress planted on the south and west
  sides of a house can reduce air conditioning
  needs
• Evergreens planted on the north side of a house
  can reduce winter heating costs by up to 10 per
  cent.
• Savings can easily exceed 250/year/home!

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Trees increase property value

• Mature trees can add 10 to 20 to a homes value
• Wooded lots bring more than skint ones

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Top 10 Reasons why we need trees!

• 1. Trees help purify the air we breathe by
  absorbing pollutants.
• 2. Trees increase property values and improve the
  tax base in communities.
• 3. Trees improve neighborhood appeal, attracting
  businesses, shoppers, and homeowners.
• 4. Trees cool our cities and towns by reducing
  heat generated by buildings and paved surfaces.
• 5. Tree shade, properly placed, can save an
  average household up to 250 annually in energy
  costs.

• 6. Trees reduce the amount of pollutants in sewer
  systems, saving communities millions of dollars
  in water treatment costs.
• 7. Trees soften harsh building lines and large
  expanses of pavement, making urban environments
  much more pleasant.
• 8. Trees provide habitat for birds and other
  wildlife, maintaining a balance with nature even
  in urban areas.
• 9. Trees reduce the amount of water-borne
  pollutants that reach streams and rivers.
• 10. Trees reduce levels of domestic violence and
  foster safer, more sociable neighborhood
  environments.

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What can you do?

• Fund programs for tree care, planting and
  maintenance
• Hire a community forester
• Support volunteer organizations

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What can you do?

• Plant the right tree in the right place
• Replant when you remove trees
• Join your local tree committee or start one
• Become an Advanced Master Gardener Tree Steward
  and facilitate all of the above!

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Unit 1 OverviewOBJECTIVES Gain an understanding
of the purpose and organization of Advanced
Master Gardener Tree Steward

• Purpose
• Volunteer Programmers Educators
• Extend VCEs reach
• Develop Community-based Programs
• Learn, Teach, Manage Good Urban Forest and Tree
  Management

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Complete and return volunteer agreement form

• Advanced Master GardenerTree Steward
• Training and Volunteer Agreement Form
• Name_____________________________________________
  ______________________________
• Mailing Address__________________________________
  ________________________________
• City_____________________ County________________
  _ State___________ Zipcode _______
• Street Address (if different from above)
  _______________________________________________
• City_____________________ County
  ________________ State __________ Zipcode
  _______
• Daytime telephone ( )
  Evening telephone ( )
  
• This form constitutes an agreement between
  _____________________ Virginia Cooperative
  Extension (VCE) and the Master GardenerTree
  Steward trainee listed above. The trainee agrees
  to complete the entire VCE MGTS course which
  consists of two parts, _____ hours of classroom
  training and _____ hours of field internship in
  the community under the auspice of VCE during the
  period __________________________________ to
  ________________________. At that time, if
  volunteer training work has been satisfactorily
  completed, the trainee listed above shall become
  a Master GardenerTree Steward entitled to fully
  participate in the Master GardenerTree Steward
  program. In support of this contract, VCE will
  provide the training, assist in identifying and
  approving the community internship experience,
  and provide supervisory expertise to fulfill this
  experience. VCE will also provide an official
  nametag and certificate of achievement for
  program completion. The MGTS, as a trainee,
  intern, and volunteer educator, will receive the
  same liability insurance as the Extension agent
  when working on authorized programs.
• I, _______________________, the MGTS trainee,
  understand the above agreement and further
  understand that the Extension agent may require
  specific types of internship work to satisfy this
  agreement. I also understand that to maintain
  Master GardenerTree Steward status, I will
  conduct additional educational programming in the
  amount of 20 hours each year to reach goals
  agreed on by the local MGTS. These activities
  must be approved by the Extension agent.
• I further agree that the title of Advanced Master
  GardenerTree Steward will only be used for
  non-profit volunteer education purposes
  associated with the VCE Advanced Master
  GardenerTree Steward program and will not be
  used in any business advertising or other
  for-profit activity.
• Trainee Signature _______________________________
  _________________________________
• Extension Office_______________________________
  E-Mail address _____________________
• Date________________ Agent signature
  _____________________________________________
• (Xerox 2 copies original to coordinators files,
  copy to OCH, copy to MGTS trainee.)

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Requirements

• Complete and return volunteer agreement form
• Complete Technical Training
• Complete Programmatic Training
• Prepare a project
• Report on the project
• Complete Internship
• Continued volunteer activity

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Questions Feedback

• Do you understand what is entailed?
• Is this introduction thorough?
• Any suggestions?
• Any criticisms?