B027817 - HEALTH OF SHADE AND URBAN TREES

Italian

Description of biotic and abiotic criticisms conditioning urban trees; evaluation of the ecological, sociological, cultural and technical context; effects of management techniques on tree growth but also on occurrence of diseases; consequences of pruning on development of wood decay. Evaluation of risks of tree failure

Articles and references provided by the teacher after the lessons and available on MOODLE platform.

The Laboratory will provide basic information to assess health status of plants as well as methods to detect risks regarding the stability of trees in an urban environment focused to preserve the safety of citizens and buildings.
Observation skills will be developed

Basic Knowledge in microbiology, forest pathology, botany and physiology of forest plants and forestry are required.

The Laboratory is organized with seminars and theoretical lectures where the main causes of damage from biotic agents to urban trees will be briefly recalled. Most of the activities of the Laboratory will include practical exercises in parks and urban areas where phytopathological monitoring techniques will be applied, including, the use of VTA, the use of diagnostic tools and particularly resistograf, following national and International protocols.

The final evaluation include a written test on the topics described during the Seminar sections
PREVIOUS PROGRAME IS CANCELLEDE i) a technical report (in groups of no more than three people) on the result of the monitoring carried out in an urban area choosed in agreement with the teachers, ii) critical discussion of the report.

Topics presented: i) How climatic factors such as temperature, rainfall, humidity, wind and air composition can influence the onset of criticality of arboreal plants in the urban context, ii) description of the main tree diseases occurring in anthropized environments; iii) methods for assessing tree stability (SIA protocol). Management of the risk related to the presence of trees (propensity to collapse through rapid, ordinary, advanced evaluation); identification and risk management through the definition of the context, the choice of mitigation interventions and the communication to citizen and stakeholders.