Southeastern NEWS

                                                       Southeastern Louisiana University
                                           Public Information Office
                                           publicinfo@selu.edu
                                           SLU 880, Hammond, LA 70402
                                           504/549-2341/fax 504-549-2061
    Date: 10/25/99
      Contact:                           Christina Chapple 122

SLU GETS GRANT FOR CITY TREE PROJECT
     HAMMOND -- Southeastern Louisiana University has received a $20,000 grant for a
two-year project to survey and map Hammond's trees and to develop a "smart growth plan" for
city forestation.
     The grant is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Urban and
Community Forestry Program in cooperation with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and
Forestry. The project will be coordinated by Southeastern's Florida Parishes Social Sciences
Research Center (FRSSRC) with the assistance of the City of Hammond and the Hammond Tree
Foundation.
     FRSSRC Director Bonnie Lewis, who is the project's principal coordinator, said over the
next two years project participants will conduct a public tree inventory, computerize and map
inventory data using the latest technology and software; and conduct a quality of life survey of
Hammond residents. The outcome will be a model of a "smart growth plan" that can be used in
other mid-sized, expanding communities throughout the state and country.   
     The smart growth plan will develop comprehensive maps that show where trees are
located and the relationship of trees to social factors such as crime, how well people know their
neighbors, and their attitudes toward city services.
     Information for the smart growth plan will be collected through FPSSRC surveys and
through a tree inventory.
     Lewis said state forester Paul Orr currently is conducting inventories to determine the
condition of Hammond's trees and whether previously planted trees have been maintained. The
inventories will focus on the number and condition of trees within the city and where more trees
are needed. The results of the inventory will give the state forester guidelines on the care and the
restoration of the damaged trees.
     Trees are often the victim of urban development, said Frank Neelis of the Hammond Tree 
                             (MORE)
TREE PROJECT -- Add One
Foundation. "Of significant note is how the root systems are affected by construction projects
that cut or compact the roots within the drip line area," he said. "We have a tendency to look at
trees and appreciate their contributions to the community and not realize they can only stay
healthy by the nutrients they collect through their root systems that can extend out as far as their
branches reach out."                              
     "To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that an entire community will have
such a thorough study made if its tree scape," he said. "The results of this project will go a long
way in not only helping the policy makers of Hammond decide the role of urban forestry in our
growing community, but also in providing a model for other communities on how they can tap
into the same resources to enhance the quality of life."
     "Trees are good!" said Lewis. According to research by Dr. Roger S. Ulrich, just viewing
pictures of nature decreases blood pressures and muscle tension. Also, research has shown that
hospital patients who could view trees through their windows recovered faster with fewer
complications and with fewer requirements for pain medication.
     More research conducted by the Human-Environment Research Laboratory at the
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign revealed that trees are directly related to the quality
of life of the residents in the Robert Taylor Homes Housing Project. The findings showed that
those residents without trees had fewer visitors, knew less people, and felt less safe. Those
residents with trees had stronger feelings of unity, had strong feelings of cohesion with
neighbors, like the living environment and felt safer.       
     The Florida Parishes Social Science Research Center is an important source of quality
social science research on southeastern Louisiana. Each year the center conducts various surveys
and political polls for the public and private sector. The center also focuses on public policy
research in the areas of environment, quality of life and human service issues. The FPSSRC is
located in room 384, DVickers, 504-549-5120.
                            - SLU -
     This press release is available on the World Wide Web:
      www.selu.edu/NewsEvents/PublicInfoOffice/newsf99.htm