9:00–9:15am
Welcome
Grace C. Elton, CEO, New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill

9:15–10:15am
Examining Urban Tree Planting Efforts to Mitigate Heat Island Impacts and Foster More Resilient and Equitable Cities in Massachusetts and Rhode Island
Deborah Martin and John Rogan
Graduate School of Geography, Clark University

​This presentation will provide a review of research project outcomes conducted through Clark University’s Human-Environment Regional Observatory (HERO) program in collaboration with urban tree planting organizations in Massachusetts and Rhode Island over the past decade. We will focus on factors that lead to tree survivorship and vigor based on juvenile tree inventories, and interviews with stakeholders including arborists and residents. The talk will conclude with theirtake on ‘best practices’ for current and future planting initiatives in the region.

​John Rogan joined the faculty of Clark University as Assistant Professor in Fall 2003. Dr. Rogan received his Ph.D. (Geography) degree from the joint doctoral program at San Diego State University and the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he was funded by a research grant from NASA’s Land Cover and Land Use Change Program. He received M.A. and B.A. degrees (Geography) from the University of Arizona. John is a geographer specializing in landscape ecology, urban forestry, fire ecology, optical remote sensing and GIScience. Recent research projects have involved monitoring land cover change in California using remote sensing date, mapping wildfire burn severity in southern California and southeastern Arizona, and mapping forest types in Massachusetts using multi-season Landsat data.

Deborah Martin is an urban geographer with interests in the meanings and understandings of place, local politics, legal geography, qualitative methodologies, and social movements (particularly neighborhood activism). Herresearch focuses on the United States, including past research in the Twin Cities of Minnesota, and Athens, Georgia, as well as cities in Massachusetts.  Her work has examined place meaning and representation in community organizing and local politics, as well as in community land trust housing. Her current work is based primarily in Massachusetts. She co-directs Clark’s HERO program with Geography colleague John Rogan, which engages undergraduate students in research on socio-ecological dimensions of tree planting programs.

10:15–10:30am
Break

10:30–11:30am
Planting Trees for Environmental Justice
Mathew Cahill
Community Action Forester, Department of Conservation Resources

The state of Massachusetts has been assisting cities and towns to protect, grow, and manage community trees for decades.  In recent years, the majority of state funding has focused on tree planting in Environmental Justice neighborhoods.  This talk will explore larger tree planting efforts, including planting by the Department of Conservation and Recreation, by municipalities and contractors, and planting by NGO’s.  Federally funded planting programs will also be discussed.

Mathew Cahill is the Community Action Forester for the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation.  As partnership coordinator for the Urban and Community Forestry Program, he assists communities to protect, grow, and manage their community trees and forests.  Mathew received his Bachelor of Science in Natural Resource Management from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and is a Certified Arborist with the International Society of Arboriculture.  He has over 20 years of urban forestry experience and prior to joining the state, he worked nationally planting trees for urban forestry non-profits in New York, California, Michigan and most recently in Massachusetts on the Grow Boston Greener campaign.

11:30am–12:30pm
Lunch

12:30–1:30pm
Next Level Pruning Practices for Arborists and Urban Foresters
Chris Roddick
Former Head Arborist and Foreman of Grounds, Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Good tree pruning is all about good decision making, but what do arborists and urban foresters base tree pruning strategies on? In this presentation, we will look beyond standard pruning specifications and consider other factors such as conservation, ecology, health, and aesthetics. We will discuss the decision-making process, exploring the biological understanding and craftsmanship needed to carry out a specialized pruning plan.

Christopher Roddick was the Head Arborist and Foreman of Grounds at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden for over 28 years. He helped develop the Garden’s tree care program and established the BBG as a leader in Conservation Arboriculture and veteran tree care. Mr. Roddick now lives in the beautiful Litchfield Hills of Connecticut and works with landscape architects, designers, arborists, and private clients on mature tree preservation, tree health assessments, and specialized pruning. He is the author of the Tree Care Primer, a guide to care for young, mature, and veteran trees. When he’s not working in the Northeast, he is often on an expedition, traveling to the neo-tropical forests where he helps conducts canopy research as a climber and a really bad camp cook.

1:30–1:45pm
Break

1:45–2:45pm
PHS, Healthy Neighborhoods, and the Philly Tree Plan: Growing a Healthier City Through Public-Private Collaboration
Matt Rader
President, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
Casey Kuklick
Chief of Staff, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society

Join Pennsylvania Horticultural Society President Matt Rader, and Chief of Staff Casey Kuklick as they discuss PHS’s innovative Healthy Neighborhoods Program and new collaboration to create and implement the Philly Tree Plan, Philadelphia’s first comprehensive strategic plan to increase the city’s urban forest over the next 10 years. PHS has nearly 50 years of history as a change agent partnering with government, supporters, and residents to green neighborhoods in ways that equitably advance health and wellbeing. This includes creating stable revenue streams; organizing government, non-profit, and volunteer stakeholders; leading execution of tree planting and stewardship activities; and planning for the future. Over the past three years, this work expanded to included co-leading with the City and other partners creation and now implementation of the Philly Tree Plan. This presentation will delve into PHS’s long-standing Healthy Neighborhoods Program, including Tree Tenders, the formation and goals of The Philly Tree Plan, and best practices and logistics of coordinating public and private entities in order to build urban tree canopy. PHS will share how The Philly Tree Plan offers a model other cities and arborists can utilize when strategizing how to fund and build urban tree canopy in their own cities, while maximizing impact through working with partners.

Matt Rader is the 37th President of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. He is focused on deepening and expanding PHS’s efforts to use horticulture to advance the health and well-being of the communities in the Greater Philadelphia region and beyond. Gardens and landscapes have shaped Matt’s life. He has lived and worked in magnificent landscapes from the mountains of South Central Pennsylvania to Stowe Landscape Garden, the University of Virginia, Monticello, and Fairmount Park. He combines a passion for horticulture with a deep love for historic preservation and cities.

Matt grew up in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania. He received his bachelor’s in architectural history from the University of Virginia and masters of Business Administration from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He lives in Center City Philadelphia with his partner Michael Smith, a conductor and organist.

Casey Kuklick is the Chief of Staff at PHS. In this role, he leads the implementation of PHS’s organization-wide change projects and strategic initiatives, ensures alignment of priorities among key leaders and teams, and proactively cultivates new projects and partnership opportunities, including with key government partners. Prior to serving in this role, Casey was the leader of PHS’s “Vision2027” strategy team, which was instrumental in giving PHS a revitalized direction and refreshed purpose leading up to its 200th birthday in 2027. Casey received his B.A. in History and Political Science from Northwestern University and his M.A. in International Affairs with a concentration in Urban and Social Policy from Columbia University. Before arriving at PHS, he served as a Senior Policy Advisor for Energy and Finance in the office of New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, where he helped set New York’s nation-leading clean energy and climate agenda during the Governor’s second term. Casey is an ardent Philadelphian and an even more ardent Philadelphia sports fan. He enjoys reading, running, playing soccer, and occasionally whittling in his spare time.

2:45–3:00pm
Wrap Up and Next Steps