Excerpt
Twenty years have past since the publication of the first edition. During that time arboriculture has experienced significant changes. Research findings; the application, training, and certification of arborists; innovations by practitioners; new and improved equipment and products; a worldwide community of professionals; and a better informed and more concerned public bode well for the future of arboriculture. Instant access to information across the Internet allows for exchange of ideas and experiences among arborists in every part of the globe.
The fourth edition of Arboriculture provides approaches to analyzing problems and situations and selecting the most appropriate solutions or courses of action. This is particularly important because local or regional factors require specific solutions. As in previous editions, new information and maintenance practices are evaluated and, where appropriate, current practices reassessed. The analytical approach is emphasized, assessing management needs and deciding on an appropriate solution.
The common and botanical names used generally conform to those listed in Hortus Third (Bailey and others, 1976) and the Annotated Checklist of Woody Ornamental Plants of California, Oregon, and Washington (McClintock and Leiser, 1979).
Measurements are given in metric units, followed by English equivalents in parentheses. In many situations, approximate values are accurate enough, so conversions between the two systems are rounded for simplicity.