Why We Need the TREE Fund

Bryant Scharenbroch, head of The Morton Arboretum’s Soil Science lab, recently talked to TREE Fund Liaisons and Trustees about the importance of TREE Fund research funds.

Using a supply and demand approach, Scharenbroch estimated that arboriculture researchers need $20 million per year to conduct their work. The federal government potentially meets only half of this demand, leaving the rest to state governments and private funders such as the TREE Fund. (In actuality, state governments offer minimal funding for true research; most fund projects or outreach related to tree planting).

The bottom line is that there very few funding sources available for arboriculture research. We need the TREE Fund to fill this void. Further, TREE Fund dollars are particularly important in supporting new scientists in the field and in leveraging additional resources for a project.

Delve deeper into Scharenbroch’s analysis by viewing his presentation slides.