Advancing the Science of Tree Care

The Britton Fund invests in science-based research that helps arborists, tree-care professionals, and communities make informed decisions, improve tree health, and strengthen the resilience of urban forests throughout the West.

Our Research Grant Program supports projects that address the unique challenges facing trees and the professionals who care for them – from extreme heat and water quality to tree establishment, emerging diseases, and other environmental pressures. The goal is practical: support research that can move from the inquiry to the field and provide useful information for years to come.

2026 Research Awards

In 2026, The Britton Fund awarded nearly $120,000 to four research teams investigating critical challenges facing urban trees in the West.

Assessing the Salinity Tolerance of Common Street Trees in California. Principal Investigator: Jessie Melbourne Godfrey, PhD, Environmental Horticulture and Water Resources Management Advisor University of California Cooperative Extension. $29,962 research grant awarded.

This two-year study will evaluate how commonly planted California street trees respond to saline conditions. Findings may help arborists and urban foresters make more informed tree selection and management decisions in regions facing long-term water-quality challenges.

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Minimum Thresholds for Establishment of Young Landscape Trees in Extreme Desert Heat: A Las Vegas Pilot Study.
Principal Investigator: Azideh Alizadeh, PhD, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, University of Nevada, Reno Extension. $29,887 research grant awarded.

This research will investigate the minimum conditions necessary for successful establishment of young landscape trees in the extreme desert climate of Southern Nevada. The project aims to provide practical guidance for improving tree survival and establishment in one of the nation’s most challenging growing environments.

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Salinity Stress and Botryosphaeria Canker in Woody Trees: Evaluating Disease Susceptibility and Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles for Stress Mitigation.
Principal Investigators: Lydia Tymon, PhD, Environmental Horticulture Advisor for San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, UC Agriculture and Natural Resources; Haramrit Gill, Environmental Horticulture Advisor for the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources; Don Merhaut, PhD Associate Cooperative Extension Specialist in Horticulture at the University of California, Riverside. $29,449.00 research grant awarded.

This project will explore the relationship between salinity stress and disease susceptibility in woody trees while evaluating innovative approaches to reducing stress impacts. The research may contribute to new management strategies for landscape trees affected by environmental stressors.

Credit: Jack Kelly Clark, UC IPM

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Identifying Critical Temperature Thresholds and Developing Cost-Effective Heat Stress Monitoring Methods for Urban Trees.
Principal Investigator: Drew M. Peltier, PhD, Assistant Professor, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, School of Life Sciences. $30,000 research grant awarded.

As urban temperatures continue to rise, this study will identify critical heat thresholds for urban trees and develop practical, affordable methods for monitoring heat stress. The results may help arborists better understand and respond to extreme heat events that threaten urban tree health.

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“Congratulations to the recipients of these awards. We look forward to future presentations and publications produced as a result of this important work. By supporting this type of research through The Britton Fund, WCISA members help advance knowledge that can inform management decisions, improve tree survival, and strengthen urban forests for years to come.”
Dr. James Downer, Chair of the Research Committee, The Britton Fund

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Research with Practical Value

The Britton Fund looks for research with relevance to the professionals caring for trees today and the challenges they will face tomorrow. Research supported by The Britton Fund is intended to advance knowledge that can inform tree selection, establishment, management, monitoring, and long-term care. Results and findings can also benefit municipalities, educators, students, and the communities they serve. Dr. Jim Downer, Research Committee Chair, notes that the Fund’s projects are selected for their potential to provide practical, science-based solutions that arborists can apply in the field for years to come.

Investing in the Future of Arboriculture

Since its founding, The Britton Fund has invested over $270,000 in research and educational initiatives that strengthen the science and practice of arboriculture throughout California, Nevada, Arizona, Hawaii, and beyond. This work is made possible through the generous contributions made by WCISA members, industry partners, private and public donors. Your support helps turn important questions into useful knowledge for the people caring for trees.

Active and Recently Completed Projects.

• Climate-Ready Trees Study. The Britton Fund awarded a $5,000 research grant in 2025 to support the next phase of the Climate-Ready Trees study, now nearing its tenth year. Led by university researchers and industry leaders in arboriculture, this project evaluates 12 promising tree species across three California climate zones to guide urban tree selection in a changing climate. With USDA funding lost, Britton’s support ensures the continuation of ten years of data collecting and field outreach through 2026. Findings will help arborists, agencies, and communities choose resilient species for long-term sustainability and performance. Contributing researchers include Alison Berry, Ph.D., Professor Emerita, Department of Plant Sciences, UC Davis, Natalie van Doorn, Ph.D., Research Urban Ecologist, USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Research Station, Greg McPherson, Ph.D., Research Forester Emeritus, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, and Joanna Solins, Ph.D., Environmental Horticulture Advisor, UC Cooperative Extension. Learn more at Climate Ready Trees.
• Turf Conversion and Tree Health Study. Dr. Joanna Solins, Environmental Horticulture Advisor at UC Cooperative Extension. Contributing researchers include Dr. Chris Shogren, Environmental Horticulture Advisor, UC Cooperative Extension, and Karey Windbiel-Rojas, Area Urban IPM Advisor, UC Cooperative Extension. Awarded $29,290 grant in 2024 over two years. As turf lawns are increasingly replaced with water-wise landscaping for urban water conservation, the impact on existing trees remains uncertain. This research study aims to evaluate the effects of two turf conversion techniques — removal of existing turf with a sod cutter and sheet mulching—on mature trees and soils. The findings will help develop best management practices for tree protection during lawn replacement.
• Cooling Benefits of Climate-Ready Trees. Dr. Joanna Solins, Environmental Horticulture Advisor at UC Cooperative Extension. Contributing researchers include Drs. Alison Berry, Mickie Tang, Matthew Gilbert with the UC Davis, Department of Plant Sciences, and Dr. Natalie van Doorn with the USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Research Station. Awarded $3,285 grant in 2024 for a one-year project. This study aims to evaluate the cooling benefits of tree species identified in The Climate Ready Trees study, which was also supported by The Britton Fund. The research focuses on tree species that are expected to thrive in California’s increasingly hot Central Valley cities without the need for irrigation. The analysis will compare the cooling potential of these species to that of more commonly planted and irrigated urban trees. Additionally, Dr. Solins’ study seeks to better understand the leaf and canopy characteristics associated with greater cooling potential in tree species that can survive underwater-limited conditions.
• Trends in Native Tree Plantings in Urban California: Where are trees native in the urban environment? Dr. Matt Ritter, Dr. Jen Yost, Cami Pawlak, MS $8,000 in 2022. Read the team’s articles: “Native to Where? California’s Native Trees and Their Use in the Urban Environment” published in the Western Arborist magazine, Summer 2023.  “California’s Native Trees and Their Use in the Urban Forest” published in the international journal Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, Volume 89, November 2023.
• Building Tree Resiliency through Urban Tree Infrastructure Mitigation Techniques, Dr. Andrew Kaufman, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii – $30,170. Watch Dr. Kaufman’s research presentation from The Britton Fund’s “2020 Research Round Up” live stream event.
• What Tree To Plant? Selecting Trees Fit for the Future,  Dr. Alison Berry, University of California at Davis – $25,697
• Management of New Invasive Pests of Ficus Trees in Hawaii’s Urban Landscapes, Zhiquiang Cheng, Assistant Extension Specialist, Dept Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, University of Hawaii, Manoa, $15,000 over 2 years. Learn more about this topic and watch Zhiquiang Cheng’s research presentation from The Britton Fund’s “2020 Research Round Up” live stream event.
• Tree Care for Birds and Other Wildlife, Amelia Oliver, California ReLeaf; Andy Trotter, West Coast Arborists; Ryan Gilpin, HortScience Inc., $10,000 in 2017. Follow this link for best management practices and more.
• Identification of the Causal Agent of Witches Broom on Blue Palo Verde, Dr. Ursula Schuch and Dr. Judith Brown, $25,000 over 18 months. Watch Dr. Schuch’s research presentation from The Britton Fund’s “2020 Research Round Up” live stream event.
• Connecting Tree Failure with Wood Decay Fungal Assay, Dr. Igor Lacan, $11,000 over 2 years. Watch Dr. Lacan’s presentation from The Britton Fund’s “2020 Research Round Up” live stream event and more.
• What Tree To Plant? Selecting Trees Fit for the Future, Dr. Greg McPherson and Dr. Alison Berry, $27,000, completed. Handouts are available for you to share with others.
• Tree Species Failure Profiles, Dr. Larry Costello, completed. Follow this link to read about this important research and learn more about the Western Tree Failure Database site. Through the database, you can ask a question or report a tree failure.

Help Shape the Future of Arboriculture Research

If you could fund one research project,
what question would you want answered?

Whether it’s drought, pests, pruning, soil health, climate resilience, or another tree care challenge, your ideas matter.

The Britton Fund is investing in research that addresses the real-world challenges facing arborists and urban forestry professionals. To help guide future funding priorities, Dr. Jim Downer, Chair of The Britton Fund’s Research Committee, is inviting WCISA members to share the research questions they believe deserve greater attention.

What tree care challenge deserves more research? Tell us what you’d like researchers to investigate and help influence the future of arboriculture research. Email your ideas to info@thebrittonfund.org with the subject line Research Matters.

The Britton Fund advances arboriculture through research, education, professional training, and community outreach across the West. Your support helps deliver practical, science-based resources to the people caring for our urban forests every day.

Join us in supporting those who care for trees.
Donate today.