Tree Fund: Seeking Applications for Hyland R. Johns Grant Program

Deadline: 1 April 2017

Tree Fund is seeking applications for its Hyland R. Johns Grant Program, established in 1995 to honor one of the leaders in the arboriculture industry and a founder of the ISA Research Trust.

The Hyland R. Johns Grant Program funds longer term research and technology transfer projects that have the potential of benefiting the everyday work of arborists.

Funding Information: Projects are expected to be completed within three to five years; with a maximum award value of $50,000.

Priority Areas

TREE Fund research priority areas are derived from the Revised National Research and Technology Transfer Agenda for Urban and Community Forestry. Proposals in the following priority areas are more likely to be funded, but all proposals will be considered.

• Root and soil management: Many urban tree problems originate below ground. Promoting root development, protecting roots from injury and managing conflicts with infrastructure are issues that arborists encounter regularly. Managing roots includes soil management.
• Propagation, planting and establishment: Methods of ensuring survival and vigorous growth of trees after planting are of concern to arborists and the entire green industry. Arborists are increasingly dealing with problems that originate in, or could be avoided during the planting process.
• Plant health care: Healthy plants have more effective defense systems and are better able to resist pests. Complete understanding of plant health may lead to new pest control strategies.
• Risk assessment and worker safety: Safety is a major concern. It can be a life-or-death issue to both tree workers and the public. Detection of defects, and knowing how they develop, are important. Improved equipment and work practices are needed.
• Urban forestry: Management of urban trees and forests requires improved understanding of how urban forest ecosystems function, their management, and how they interact with people in communities and at the urban/rural interface.

Selection Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated using the following criteria:

• Potential impact of the topic: Does the project address a problem/issue within TREE Fund’s mission? Does the project address topics that benefit the everyday work of arborists and urban foresters? Will this project have application to a broad sector of the arboriculture and urban forestry communities? Are there measurable outcomes which will occur as a result of this project?
• Approach: Are the methodology and proposed analysis appropriate? Is the project creative or unique in its approach to the problem? If this is a technology transfer project, is the transfer vehicle/method appropriate for the target audience?
• Feasibility: Has the investigator demonstrated appropriate qualifications to accomplish the project? Can the project be completed in the given time frame?
• Funding: Is there a clear explanation of how funds will be used in the context of the total project budget? Are additional sources of funding for the project being pursued? Is the potential cost/benefit ratio for this project appropriate?

Eligiblity Criteria

• TREE Fund does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, gender, sexual orientation, disability or national or ethnic origin.
• Current Trustees of TREE Fund or any member of the family of any such Trustee are ineligible to receive grants from TREE Fund.

How to Apply

Interested applicants can apply via given website.

For more information, please visit Hyland R. Johns Grant Program.