Kate Hand, an OU PhD Student, has launched a project to help further understand the performance of trees in an urban environment.
You may have seen signs from the The Open University on trees around Milton Keynes?
Trees are vital for our towns and cities. They make them more sustainable, attractive and healthy places to be. But urban trees are constantly under threat, with less access to water, soil and room to grow.
These threats can hamper tree health, slow their growth and eventually kill them. Experts aren’t entirely sure why some urban trees thrive while others struggle, because in the UK there’s been insufficient research done on urban tree growth and what impacts on growth rates.
Kate Hand is studying trees in Milton Keynes and analysing the benefits they provide to society, such as removing air pollution and combating climate change, and she wants local people to get involved.
Here’s how to get involved:
Visit the webpage to find a tree with a growth band and view the step-by-step guide to participating in the project
- Visit the tree, you’ll either need a smartphone which can read QR codes, or just a piece of paper where you can take notes and enter the information through a computer / tablet later
- Once you find a tree it should take less than five minutes to submit a reading
- Check the webpage to see your record added to our tree growth tracker chart
Link to webpage: TreeGrowth MAR (arcgis.com)
For full details on the project, click here.
Comments