Tree Tips: Expanding Extension Urban Forestry Education to Nearly 100,000 Viewers Through Short-Form Video
Teaching & Educational Technologies
Hannah Eason
Commercial Horticulture
UF/IFAS
Orlando
Abstract
Background: Urban tree canopy provides critical ecosystem services including shade, heat mitigation, and community resilience. Urban forestry organizations often recommend canopy coverage near 50%, however, many communities remain below these targets due to storms, removals, and improper management. Practices such as over-pruning and improper mulching lead to declining tree health and unnecessary removals. Extension agents address these issues through workshops, but in-person programs reach limited audiences and may not provide guidance when tree care decisions occur. Digital outreach offers an opportunity to deliver research-based arboriculture guidance to broader audiences. Methods: In response to a Central District priority to expand Extension outreach through digital engagement, a series of short-form educational videos titled Tree Tips was developed to communicate research-based tree care practices to Floridians. Topics included branch unions, palm pruning, tree morphology, epiphytes, mulching, and growth patterns. Videos were produced with UF/IFAS Extension Communications staff and distributed monthly through Facebook, Instagram, and the Central District YouTube channel. Each video focused on one applied arboriculture concept designed to improve understanding and encourage adoption of best management practices. Platform analytics were tracked to evaluate program reach. Results/Impacts: Since the inaugural reel in April 2025, the Tree Tips series has generated 98,711 views across Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube—roughly equivalent to the audience reach of thousands of traditional Extension workshops. Videos addressing common tree care misconceptions generated strong engagement, demonstrating public interest in practical urban forestry guidance. Videos function as stand-alone educational resources encountered during routine social media scrolling, providing timely guidance when landscape management questions arise and reinforcing UF/IFAS as a trusted source of expertise. Conclusions: Social media is an increasingly important component of the modern Extension education model. As a complement to in-depth programming, short-form videos can serve as entry points directing audiences to UF/IFAS publications and Extension classes for deeper learning grounded in research. The Tree Tips model demonstrates how Extension programs can leverage digital media and university communications resources to expand outreach and elevate science-based arboriculture education. This scalable and efficient approach can be readily replicated by Extension programs seeking to increase educational reach through short-form digital media.
Authors: Hannah Eason, Jamie Daugherty, Dale Boettcher, Aaron Alexander
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Hannah Eason Commercial Horticulture, UF/IFAS, Florida, 32812
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Jamie Daugherty Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ & Urban Forestry, UF/IFAS, Florida, 32162
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Dale Boettcher Digital Content Producer, UF/IFAS, Florida, 32611
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Aaron Alexander Strategic Digital Content Manager, UF/IFAS, Florida, 32611