What is arboriculture?

 

Arboriculture is the planting and keeping of trees in a residential setting.  It is different from sylviculture, which is basically tree farming, and it is different from forestry, which is the management of forested lands.

Arboriculture involves the study of trees and their use in the human-modified environment.  We plant trees in and around our communities for various reasons.  Outside of residential communities, trees are used by people in many different ways; they are cut and used as a source of lumber or fuel, and their fruits are used for food, oil, and other products.  Within residential areas, we use living trees as sources of shade and as landscape accents.

Without arboriculture, we would just have trees and people; the trees would not be cared for properly, and the people could actually be endangered by their own trees.  Modern arboriculture helps people understand how to care for their trees, but it also educates them about how to avoid damaging trees by mistake.  Arboriculture helps to encourage proper tree selection, planting and maintenance practices, and helps discourage improper or dangerous practices.