Urban Forestry 2020: An investigation of student perceptions, career opportunities, and professional practice

Abstract

Urban Forestry 2020 was a multi-institution project funded by the US Forest Service on the recommendation of the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council. The project was carried out from 2013 to 2018 under the leadership of Dr. Susan Day, associate professor in the Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation at Virginia Tech. Collaborating institutions included Virginia State University, West Virginia University, and University of Maryland. The purpose of this project was to comprehensively assess the status of the urban forestry profession in the United States. Literature research, focus groups, interviews, and surveys were conducted to understand key aspects of the profession, including college student perceptions of an urban forestry career, skills and qualifications desired of entry-level urban foresters, structure of the urban forestry career ladder, career status of practicing urban foresters, and perceptions of urban forestry by allied professionals