Employing qualitative research interviews to understand urban forestry stakeholder continuing education needs

Abstract

ABSTRACT To build deeper knowledge regarding urban forestry issues and familiarity with programming audiences, a multi-year needs-assessment was conducted by initiating qualitative stakeholder research interviews with professional urban foresters (i.e., tree wardens) and volunteer urban tree committee chairs. An objective of this exercise was to inform the implementation of relevant university-based continuing education (i.e., extension) opportunities, that led to the development of deliverables that included online urban forestry programming, the initiation of an urban tree committee census, and the development of a street tree selection guide. Findings indicate that qualitative stakeholder research interviews are a reliable needs assessment methodology and have widespread applicability among education professionals.