Hong Kong has bundles of literature outlining tree management and assessment criteria in an amenity / urban context that is mis-applied to trees in the protected area [PA] network (i.e. Country Parks, Conservation Area, SSSI). All the government publications (handbooks, technical circulars, now summarised in the Development Bureau's Tree Management Handbook (2016)) geared at protecting trees uses amenity criteria - even for "Old & Valuable Trees" (applicable to more urban locations). The local legislation for PA protection (in particular Cap. 499, Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance) uses habitat based or rarity based criteria (loosely based on the Ratcliffe Criteria), but has no specific rationale for assessing individual trees. This is a bit of an issue when developers try to take out particular trees in a development project in or bordering PAs, because the govt authorities responsible for legal enforcement of development often seem indifferent to conservation.
Does anyone have any pointers to global best practice &/or publications that are not arboricultural (i.e. forestry) or amenity/horticultural (urban) based, but looks at conservation and ecological criteria (e.g. keystone species, niches, micro-habitat) at individual tree level (not just populations or holistic habitat / system scale processes), please? Pointers to publications that compare the amenity and arboricultural approach to the conservation approach would be much appreciated.
Many thanks
Roger.
https://www.greening.gov.hk/en/tree_care/Handbook_on_Tree_Management.html
https://www.elegislation.gov.hk/hk/cap499!en
You can find many good research article in the scientific international journals. You can use some keywords to find article in the forestry database.
In the USA, there are about 150 National Forests across the country, many climates, forest species, habitats, soil, water, air issues being addressed in forest and resource management plans and environmental impact statements. These plans address many aspects you are interested in, and provide substantial elements addressing protection, conservation, management and ecosystem services. The documents are public, and most forests are rural, but some have some adjacent urban interface.
This link will help you find a forest by state. If you are interested in certain climates or conditions somewhat similar, that may take more research on your part. There exist some world maps on the internet that compare things like soils, climate, etc. so they may help. Whether the conditions are the same or similar, these forest and resource management plans are examples of how technical professionals and managers try to address the multiple uses and balance resource use, forest health, critical habitats, etc.
@ William F. Hansen & @ Omer Kucuk, Many thanks for your pointers. Much appreciated. @ William - please could you post the link? It didn't seem to show up in your original reply.
Following publications are related to your question:
Economic value of desert plants: Acacia trees in Wadi Allaqi Biosphere Reserve. Springuel, I. and Mekki, A.M. Environmental Conservation Vol.21, No1:41-48. 1994. (available on RG)
Economic Value of Plant Diversity in Arid Environments. A.E.Belal and Springuel, Nature & Resources Vol.32 No 1:33-39. 1996.
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