A Growing College Campus Arboretum: Removals and Planting Changes to Species Composition

Keywords: urban forestry, tree planting, tree removal, arboretum management
Abstract Type: Poster Abstract

Abstract

Urban forests provide a wide variety of ecosystem services from cooling in the summer to improving mental health. Not only do arboretums serve as potential areas of urban tree experimentation, but they also display the biodiversity of tree species for the general public. Additionally, arboretums are educational, informing the public of the advantages and drawbacks of different tree species, as well as providing live research laboratories in ecology. Despite these benefits, many arboretums lack consistent monitoring, appropriate staffing, and public attention and recognition. Our study examines the campus arboretum at the College of Holy Cross, in Worcester, MA, using field inventories and historical records of past surveys to examine the compositional shifts in tree population. Since the arboretum’s last survey in 2009, we found considerable turnover has occurred with 67 percent survivorship. The population of trees has increased since the 2009 survey by 25% as tree planting has increased substantially in the last 13 years. The rise in planting has correlated to an increase in biodiversity which makes the arboretum resilient to species specific pests. Management favors planting of smaller, ornamental tree species even though they are replacing large shade trees which shows a preference for aesthetic benefits from urban trees. It is hypothesized that tree loss stems from major development projects on campus, echoing the results of similar university surveys as well as biophysical processes such as the Emerald Ash Borer. This study shows the importance of regular monitoring to track changes in the urban forest’s composition and layout.