The Urban Forest Soil Genomics Workshop will be presented on three topics as a follow up from Episode I with new soil genomics results of soil samples collected from urban and natural environments. We will also talk about the typical stressors of urban trees and how to mitigate it with improved soil health. The intent is to build awareness of the importance of healthy soils and how to improve tree growth in the "urban forest” and how to wisely spend the tax-payer dollars.
Three (3) Approved CEUs/PDHs for LACES, ISA, PGMS, NALP, & NRPA
1. Built Environment = Stresses for Trees
(Alt Title: Soil Oxygen: The Real Limiting Factor For Urban Forests): What happens when the soil is overwatered? Why most trees don’t have deep roots? Why compacted soils are bad? Why volcano mulching is bad for your trees while foot-deep leaf litter in natural forests is good for the trees? Wire baskets: remove or retain? Why trees like the space between the concrete sidewalks and the compacted soils? What is the one thing in common for all of these questions? Soil Oxygen. All these are too common in urban area and it is the real limiting factor for trees because depleted soil oxygen affects the health of tree roots. Then how do you specify soil oxygen?
2. Let Soil Genomics Reveal the Secrets of Healthy Urban Forestry. Don't Guess it, Test it! This session is an introduction and overview of soil genomics testing. Examples of soil genomics testing result from typical urban environments and a healthy forest will be used to explain why it is so difficult to grow trees in “Urban Forests.”
3. Healthy Soils Support Healthy Trees - The Amazing Soils Genomics: Urban forests face various challenges, including soil degradation, pollution, invasive pests, and changing climate. Most soils in developed sites are destroyed by the development process with compaction and removal of organic matter. Soil Genomics is a fascinating new field that explores how microbes in the soil affect the health and growth of plants and trees. It is like a DNA test, but for soil. It provides better understanding the composition and function of the soil microbial communities and how they respond to environmental stressors such as pollution and changing climate.
This knowledge can be used to develop more effective strategies for managing soil health in urban forests, such as promoting the growth of beneficial microorganisms and improving soil structure and nutrient availability. This presentation shares cutting-edge knowledge and technologies to the community forestry supporters to improve how we grow trees for the long term where the benefits are realized from mature tree canopies.
We will use very specific examples in urban environments to demonstrate what soil genomics look like under the typical stressors such as compacted soils, overwatering, deicing salts. And how to fix it
This workshop is co-sponsored by Missouri Green Industry Alliance.
Registration Fee: $50. Check with Sponsors for potential complimentary registrations.
Register Here: https://web.cvent.com/event/58385f57-ae51-4a9c-9888-59092d98ab76/summary