City Trees

Participants and organizers of the 2017 Diversity in Wildfire Summit. Dr. Abdollahi is at center-left. According to 2020 M.S. Degree graduate Josh Tate, "I got a job in Chicago mainly because Dr. Twumasi's classes taught the cutting edge GIS and remote sensing tech- nologies that are exactly needed in my job. I thank him for co-authoring five journal articles with me as well." The USDA Excellence in College and University Teaching Award and the ISA Alex L. Shigo Award for Excellence in Arboricultural Education that Dr. Ning received moti- vated her to create more programs and projects that provide high quality education and training to students. To reduce the negative impact of COVID-19 pandemic on students' learning, Ms. Wilson, Dr. Marshall, and Dr. Ning developed and implemented the virtual training project, Career Readiness through Urban Forest Management and Leadership Skills Training, funded by the USDA Forest Service. With the strong support of SU alumni, the team successfully formulated and delivered training modules on Municipal Forestry Policies and Ordinances, Urban Forestry Program Administration and Park Management, Utility Arboriculture and ISA Arborist Certification, and Leadership and Agriculture Career Building. Our Department's Enhancing National Minority Leadership Training in Urban & Community Forestry project is in its fourth year. In collaboration with Beattra Wilson and Jerri LaHaie, Executive Director of the Society of Municipal Arborists (SMA), the project has made a significant impact, including success- fully delivering two special editions of 49 national diversity cohorts attending the Municipal Forestry Institute (MFI). Additionally, Ms. Wilson was pre- sented a President's Award of Appreciation by the SMA, and Enhancing National Minority Leadership Training Project Director Dr. Yadong Qi was recog- nized with the SMA Legacy Project of the Year Award. Funded by the USDA Forest Service, the SU Diversity in Wildfire Summit Initiative has been successful in increasing diversity and participation in wildfire science, technology, and management by training students from the 1890 HBCU (Historically Black College and University) institutions. "The Initiative has become a foundation for the establishment of the 1890 Wildfire Consortium that will produce a diverse group of professionally trained and credentialed wildfire firefighters, managers, and leaders," says project director Dr. Abdollahi. The Consortium has selected SU student Rodney Purdy and Ricker Carter for the 2020-2021 Student Fire Training Program for Experiential Learning and Fire Certification, with stipends and tuition assistance for each student. Dr. Abdollahi also utilized this project to fund 45 students to attend the virtual 2020 SAF National Convention. >> urban-forestry.com 17

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