About

Tree Stories Toolkit started as a capstone project submitted by Katherine Williams to Oregon State University in June 2024. The companion paper to this website is titled Tree Stories Toolkit: Creating a shared sense of place with community narratives around urban trees. It is available to the public via the Oregon State University Scholars Archive. The research citations for this paper are also provided below.

The Toolkit incorporates Katherine’s experience producing the Glendale Tree Stories project in 2022 with additional perspectives from public story-sharing, nature interpretation, and placemaking practitioners.

What’s Next?

Help make Tree Stories Toolkit better with your feedback.

Please email info@treestoriestoolkit.com with:

  • Comments, questions, and user reviews

  • Potential projects

  • Story-sharing projects to feature on this site

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to my graduate committee members, Dave Stemper and Dr. Elizabeth Swanson, and to my graduate advisor, Dr. Paul Ries. Thank you to my wonderful partner, family, friends, and urban forestry network in Los Angeles for their encouragement, insight, and support.

Research Citations

Barona, C. O. (2023). Eight recommendations to improve the reporting of qualitative social research in urban nature studies. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 84, 127921-. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2023.127921

Beckley, T. M., Parkins, J. R., & Sheppard, S. R. J. (2007). Public Participation in Sustainable Forest Management: A Reference Guide. Edmonton, Alberta: Sustainable Forest Management Network.

Boyce, S. (2010). It Takes a Stewardship Village: Effect of Volunteer Tree Stewardship on Urban Street Tree Mortality Rates. Cities and the Environment, 3(1), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.15365/cate.3132010

Breger, B. S., Eisenman, T. S., Kremer, M. E., Roman, L. A., Martin, D. G., & Rogan, J. (2019). Urban tree survival and stewardship in a state-managed planting initiative: A case study in Holyoke, Massachusetts. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 43, 126382-. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2019.126382

Brown, V. A., Dyball, R., & Keen, M. (2005). Social learning in environmental management : towards a sustainable future. Earthscan. https://doi.org/10.4324/978

Edwards, K. K. (2001). Forestry at the urban fringe : issues, stakeholders and conflict potential in Oregon’s Soap Creek Watershed. (OCLC No. 54001729) [Master’s thesis, Oregon State University]. Scholars Archive. 

Gulsrud, N. M., Hertzog, K., & Shears, I. (2018). Innovative urban forestry governance in Melbourne?: Investigating “green placemaking” as a nature-based solution. Environmental Research, 161, 158–167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2017.11.005

Harper, Huff, E. S., Bloniarz, D. V., DeStefano, S., Nicolson, C. R., & Davidsohn, M. (2020). Employing qualitative research interviews to understand urban forestry stakeholder continuing education needs. Arboricultural Journal, 42(2), 65–75. https://doi.org/10.1080/03071375.2020.1764823

Jack-Scott, E., Piana, M., Troxel, B., Murphy-Dunning, C., & Ashton, M. (2013). Stewardship Success: How Community Group Dynamics Affect Urban Street Tree Survival and Growth. Arboriculture & Urban Forestry, 39(4). https://doi.org/10.48044/jauf.2013.025

Janse, G., & Konijnendijk, C. C. (2007). Communication between science, policy and citizens in public participation in urban forestry—Experiences from the Neighbourwoods project. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 6(1), 23–40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2006.09.005

Kirkpatrick, Davison, A., & Daniels, G. D. (2013). Sinners, scapegoats or fashion victims? Understanding the deaths of trees in the green city. Geoforum, 48, 165–176. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2013.04.018

McGinnis, M. V. (Ed.). (1998). Bioregionalism. London: Routledge.

McLean, Jensen, R., & Hurd, A. (2007). Seeing the Urban Forest Through the Trees: Building Depth Through Qualitative Research. Arboriculture & Urban Forestry, 33(5), 304–308. https://doi.org/10.48044/jauf.2007.034


Metcalfe, T. (2015, July 10). When you give a tree an email address. The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/07/when-you-give-a-tree-an-email-address/398210/

Moskell, C., Bassuk, N., Allred, S., & MacRae, P. (2016). Engaging Residents in Street Tree Stewardship: Results of a Tree Watering Outreach Intervention. Arboriculture & Urban Forestry, 42(5). https://doi.org/10.48044/jauf.2016.027

National Park Service. (n.d.). Interpretation and education career academy: Foundations of interpretation curriculum guide. Retrieved from https://www.nps.gov/idp/interp/101/foundationscurriculum.pdf

Rhodes, R. J. (2019). Personal Story Sharing as an Engagement Strategy to Promote Student Learning. Perspectives on Urban Education, 16(1)

Roman, L. A., Battles, J. J., & McBride, J. R. (2014). Determinants of establishment survival for residential trees in Sacramento County, CA. Landscape and Urban Planning, 129, 22–31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2014.05.004

Roman, Conway, T. M., Eisenman, T. S., Koeser, A. K., Ordóñez Barona, C., Locke, D. H., Jenerette, G. D., Östberg, J., & Vogt, J. (2021). Beyond “trees are good”: Disservices, management costs, and tradeoffs in urban forestry. Ambio, 50(3), 615–630. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-020-01396-8

Stewart, W. P., Glover, T. D., & Barkley, J. R. (2013). Sharing Stories of Place to Foster Social Learning. In Place-Based Conservation (pp. 137–150). Springer Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5802-5_11

Silver, L., & McCorry, S. (2000). Story sharing. Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research, 61(4), 8–8.

Vogt, J., Vogt, J. M., Watkins, S. L., Mincey, S. K., Patterson, M., & Fischer, B. C. (2015). Explaining planted-tree survival and growth in urban neighborhoods: A social–ecological approach to studying recently-planted trees in Indianapolis. Landscape and Urban Planning, 136, 130–143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2014.11.021

Williams, D. R., & Stewart, S. I. (1998). Sense of place: an elusive concept that is finding a home in ecosystem management. Journal of Forestry, 96(5), 18–23.

Wilton, J. J. (2002). Public perspectives on forest ecosystem health : knowledge, preferences, and opinions from urban and rural communities throughout the Pacific Northwest. (OCLC No. 56354780) [Master’s thesis, Oregon State University]. Scholars Archive.

Wolf, K. L., & Kruger, L. E. (2010). Urban Forestry Research Needs: A Participatory Assessment Process. Journal of Forestry, 108(1), 39–44.