A special training was held at Fall River Government Center on July 16, 2012 to teach the importance of the urban forest in creating healthier communities. The session included training in identifying tree species and tree hazards. The goals of the training were to teach members of the public about trees in an urban environment, engage citizens as tree stewards, assess the state of the city's forest and create a spatial database of street trees for the city. The trainees, most interns from the Trustees of Reservations (TTOR), then fanned out throughout the City from July 18th through the 20th to inventory City trees that had not been previously assessed. They recorded the species and health of each tree as well as looking for potential planting sites. The result of the survey will be entered into a database that will help the Department of Community Maintenance to keep the trees healthy, to enable the City to look for future funding, and to promote the benefits of trees. The Tree Inventory is a volunteer-driven effort lead by Urban Ecology Institute in partnership with the City of Fall River Street Tree Planting Program and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Click here for a video of the training and the inventory. Click here for photos of an urban forestry workshop. For more information about the Street Tree Planting program, contact Mary Ann Wordell at 508-679-8887.

(Top row) Community Forester Michelle Martinut of the Urban Ecology Institute welcomes the volunteer to the training session in the Hearing Room at Fall River Government Center. (Middle row) Trustee of Reservations  interns Victoria Power and Morgan and Amanda Nicholas look over a selection of sample tree leaves with the help of Brian Szekely to learn how to identify different species. (Row three) Alecia Cahill of TTOR works with Dean Sylvaria and Charles Allard to measure and record the condition of some honey locust trees on Weaver Street in the City's North End. (Bottom row) Morgan Nicholas, Amber Bellefeuille and Victoria Power measure and record the condition of a maple tree on Pulaski Street in the City's South End.