Urban Tree Growth and Longevity Working Group

About UTGLWG

The Urban Tree Growth and Longevity Working Group (UTGLWG) is a collaboration of scientists and professionals interested in the growth and longevity of urban trees. The UTGLWG was founded in July 2010 at the annual meeting of the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA).

The mission of the UTGLWG is to foster communication among researchers and between professionals, enrich scientific exchange, and enhance the quality, productivity, and timeliness of research on tree growth, mortality and longevity through collaboration. UTGLWG uses a coordinated approach to provide professionals with information they need to make decisions that improve tree performance. 

UTGL in Action

Long-term collection of urban tree data can provide valuable information for urban forest managers and researchers interested in performance of planting programs, tree mortality and growth rates, changes in species composition, and identifying dead and declining trees. We developed Urban Tree Monitoring: Field and Resource Guides to serve those interested in collecting long-term field data on urban trees.

Certain aspects of data collection – such as the reliable re-location of individual trees, clear delineation of which trees and site types are included or excluded from a study, consistency in recording tree Mortality Status, and precise re-measurement of Trunk Diameter – are all of great importance to longitudinal studies and are described in the Urban Tree Monitoring: A Field Guide.

As a companion to the Field Guide, the Urban Tree Monitoring: A Resource Guide provides in-depth guidance for urban forest managers and researchers who want to design and implement a tree monitoring project.

In addition, a 5-part animated series covers topics such as how to get started with monitoring, how to record Trunk Diameter, Mortality Status, and Tree Location, and how to manage field work.”

Membership is free and open to all individuals engaged in urban and community forestry.