Tree health analysis in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area

Urban trees contribute significantly to human health and environmental quality but assessments of their health are rare. This project involved developing an urban tree health monitoring protocol for use in the Southwestern US and using it to conduct field assessments of urban tree health in the Phoenix urban ecosystem during the winter/spring of 2006. Field manuals prepared by the USDA Forest Service for use in monitoring urban forest health (Cumming et al. 2001) were adapted to reflect the unique stresses and diseases that occur in urban areas in the southwestern US. Tree health was then assessed using a subset of field plots that have been established as part of the Survey 200 project and NPP intensive monitoring project as a foci. Ten to fifteen trees were assessed at each site for general tree health including canopy condition, canopy dieback and disease and pest problems. Abiotic problems were also assessed including stress problems, nutrient deficiency symptoms, improper pruning practices, trunk damage and girdling.