2007 Walter Barnard Hill Award for Distinguished Achievement in University Public Service and Outreach

Kim D. Coder

Kim D. Coder, professor in the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, is an internationally recognized expert in community forestry, forest ecology and tree health care. He has addressed community forestry needs such as quality of life, urban forest risk management, tree care, and arboriculture through workshops, publications and classroom lectures for more than twenty years.

Coder leads arboriculture workshops around the world that present essential information on basic tree care, trees and storms, and tree protection on construction sites to groups that include utility workers, arborists, landscapers and community foresters. He also provides educational programming for professional, non-profit and community groups as well as elected and appointed officials who make decisions about community forests and trees. Coder’s public service activities and expertise on scientifically-based management practices have led to healthier trees and a healthier environment around the world.

In 1988, Coder helped found and served as education chair and president of the Georgia Urban Forest Council, which aims to conserve and enhance Georgia’s community forests. In 2005, the Council presented Coder a lifetime achievement award for his contributions to the community forestry profession.

Coder was elected president of the International Society of Arboriculture, which has 16,000 members in 41 nations. As chair of the International Professional Arborist Certification Test Committee, Coder’s technical expertise helped the program improve how the public views urban forestry. He received the 2005 International Award for Excellence in Arboricultural Education, the highest worldwide educational award in the arboriculture field, from the International Society of Arboriculture.

Coder is a prolific author who has published numerous scholarly papers, trade journal articles, and technical publications. He also is invited to present many lectures and workshops annually.