What should young people interested in urban forestry study
and whom should they seek as mentors? SMA intern Frank
Terrance went to Upper Arlington, Ohio in 2013 to learn
with longtime parks & forestry superintendent Steve Cothrel.
Communicating Your Role as an Urban
Forester
Urban forestry faces a range of challenges relating to
public perception, professional practice, educational
oppor tunities, and university suppor t for the profession
of urban forestry. At the hear t of this is the professional
image of urban foresters—and this is something that
members of any profession need to assiduously man
-
age on an ongoing basis.
Thus, is urban forestry communicating consistently to
the larger world about the urban forestry profession?
The world needs to know:
• What does an urban forester bring to the
table? What can an urban forester do for
our communit y or organization?
• What makes an urban forester ? How do I
recognize urban forestr y exper tise?
• Is urban forestry a meaningful and well-re-
spected profession with ample oppor tunity
for professional advancement?
• How should a young per son approach a
career in urban forestr y? What should
they study and whom should they seek as
mentor s? Can they specialize?
Final Steps for Urban Forestry 2020
This research and analysis project is coming to a close
in fall of 2017. This is just the beginning, however, of
the professional collective action and organization that
needs to take place for the benefit of the urban forest-
ry profession—and ultimately urban forests. Healthy,
strong professions continually self-evaluate and orga-
nize initiatives to strengthen their professions. How
will urban foresters tackle this challenge? We who are
involved in the UF2020 project look forward to finding
out and playing a role in suppor ting this effor t.
z
Other members of the UF2020 research team include
Gregory A. Dahle (West Virginia University) P. Eric
Wiseman (Virginia Tech), Joe Sullivan (University of
Maryland), Joel Koci (Virginia State), Keith O'Herrin
(Virginia Tech), and Andrew Benjamin (West Virginia
University). For more details, visit
urbanforestry.frec.
vt.edu/2020.
16 City Trees
