Chapter 3 - Assessing and Quantifying the Urban Forest

Difference between a tree inventory and a natural resource inventory?

A tree inventory specifically catalogs individual trees within an urban area, focusing on species, size, and condition, while a natural resource inventory encompasses a broader assessment of various ecological and geological elements, as well as stand density, age distribution, and species composition.

What is STRATUM? How does it differ from UFORE?

STRATUM (i-Tree Streets) - combines a basic street tree inventory program with cost-benefit analysis. The benefits of energy conservation, atmospheric contaminant removal stormwater runoff, carbon storage, and property values are automatically calculated. STRATUM also analyzes the costs of maintaining trees, thereby producing a cost-benefit analysis.

UFORE (now i-Tree Eco)- provides information on amount and value of atmospheric contaminant removal, carbon storage, and energy conservation using randomized plots and local hourly air pollution and meteorological data to quantify urban forest structure and numerous urban forest effects for cities across the world. It does not include an inventory program.

How does a tree inventory become part of a geographic information system?

Computer hardware and software provide the system that links these data. ArcView by ESRI is one example.

How does an inventory of street and park trees assist in scheduling and prioritizing tree work, such as planting and pruning?

By providing information about the tree species, age, and condition throughout the city, the need for specific types of work can be more efficiently and effectively identified.

What are the ten most important varieties of information that can be obtained for my community by doing a tree inventory?

Family, genus, species

Trunk diameter

Condition

Height and spread

Vacant sites

Failure risk

Structural or biotic issues

Utility presence

Pruning needs

Address/location

What is i-Tree? How might it be a valuable resource in your community? How does it differ from commercial tree inventory software?

It is a software suite that provides tools for assessing urban forest ecosystems, estimating tree benefits, and supporting management decisions. Unlike commercial software, i-Tree is free, and focuses on ecological services and cost-benefit analysis.

GPS stands for

Global Positioning System

A cost-benefit analysis compares what?

The value of all benefits to all costs associated with tree management