City Trees is a premier publication focused on urban + community forestry. In each issue, you’ll learn how to best manage the trees in your community and more!
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/566672
10 City Trees What Is the Exchange Program? SMA offers an exchange program for municipal arbor- ists located around the world. The purpose is to create a way for municipal arborists to exchange urban forestry expertise, management ideas and technology through "in-person" contact and on-site experience. What better way to find out how other forestry practitioners operate than to spend time with each other? We have much to learn from other programs in our own countries and around the world, and we each have much to offer. The program not only facilitates the transfer of knowledge but also fosters an international community of munici- pal arborists. What Is Required? Participants will spend at least one full work week visit- ing and working with the host city's forestry department or arborist. Each participant will be required to write an article for the SMA journal City Trees about what he or she learned and experienced for the interest of the SMA membership. What is Provided? SMA and contributing sponsors will fund airfare and basic expenses, as sponsorship allows, for profes- sional exchanges in the spring or summer of 2016. An exchange should be two-way, meaning that paired participants take turns hosting each other. However, one-way exchanges, where a selected participant visits a willing host city, may be approved by SMA on a case by case basis. Who Can Apply? A candidate must be a member of SMA. One can apply immediately upon joining. A candidate must be employed within the urban forestry profession, pref- erably as a municipal arborist, for at least two years. Knowledge of a second language is helpful but not essential, although the application must be submitted in English. For a two-way exchange, a chosen partici- pant (or the host municipality) must be able to provide lodging for the visiting participant (private homes are encouraged). The willingness to host a visiting munic- ipal arborist increases the chance of being selected. It's Time to Apply … To the SMA Arborist Exchange Program 2016! How Will Selections Be Made? Two-way exchange pairings will be made by our selection committee on a "best match" basis. The number of participants will depend on available funding. Selected participants should be from cities of similar size and climate and speak a shared language. Ideally, each for- estry program will have or do something that the other can learn from—e.g., a unique or exemplary program, site condition, or problem. The selection committee will consider if an applicant wishes to have an exchange with someone from a preferred city, country, or region. Municipal arborists who propose an exchange with a Sister City International Program are especially encour- aged to apply. One-way exchange selections will be based on the applicant's programmatic needs and the potential for a viable learning experience. What Is the Deadline? All applications must be received by November 1, 2015. Awardees will be notified by December 31, 2015. The time frame for the exchanges will be determined by the participants, with assistance from SMA program coor- dinators. How Do I Apply? Join SMA (if you aren't already a member) and obtain both the membership and exchange applications online at www.urban-forestry.com. Answers must be clearly numbered, with none omitted and all application instruc- tions followed. You may submit the application online or by mail or fax. Mail applications to: Society of Municipal Arborists Jerri LaHaie, CAE Society of Municipal Arborists PO Box 641 Watkinsville GA 30677 Or fax to (706) 769-7307 Questions can be sent by email to Arborist Exchange Committee Chair Joe Benassini, JBenassini@cityofsacramento.org Many thanks to all those who made the 2014 Silent Auction a success! 10 City Trees