Urban Forest Inventory:Urban Forest Inventory:A PrimerA Primer

Bill HubbardBill HubbardSouthern Regional Extension Southern Regional Extension

ForesterForester

Introduction to urban forest Introduction to urban forest inventoriesinventories DefinitionsDefinitions PurposesPurposes UsesUses

Inventorying the Urban Forest: Inventorying the Urban Forest: A PrimerA Primer

Introduction to urban tree inventoriesIntroduction to urban tree inventories Tree inventory basicsTree inventory basics Conducting the street tree inventoryConducting the street tree inventory Analyzing the dataAnalyzing the data Using and presenting the dataUsing and presenting the data Related issues and opportunitiesRelated issues and opportunities

““Urban forest inventorying” is collecting Urban forest inventorying” is collecting relevant information on forests within relevant information on forests within municipalities or urban areasmunicipalities or urban areas This includes information on:This includes information on:

Street treesStreet trees Park and other public treesPark and other public trees Private and utility treesPrivate and utility trees Other forest characteristicsOther forest characteristics

WildlifeWildlife SoilsSoils Associated vegetationAssociated vegetation Etc.Etc.

Purpose and use of street tree inventoriesPurpose and use of street tree inventoriesProvides factual information on:Provides factual information on: Individual tree basis:Individual tree basis:

HealthHealth LocationLocation Maintenance needsMaintenance needs SizeSize Potential valuePotential value Planting spacesPlanting spaces otherother

The urban forest:The urban forest: HealthHealth Species diversitySpecies diversity ValueValue Maintenance Maintenance

schedulesschedules Miscellaneous Miscellaneous

characteristicscharacteristics otherother

What else?What else? Assessment of your urban forestry assetsAssessment of your urban forestry assets Important step in effective green Important step in effective green

infrastructure managementinfrastructure management Important component of the urban forest Important component of the urban forest

management planmanagement plan Useful for education and advocacyUseful for education and advocacy Maintenance, hazard tree reduction and tree Maintenance, hazard tree reduction and tree

planting plans can be developed from planting plans can be developed from inventory.inventory.

Street tree inventory basicsStreet tree inventory basics

PlanningPlanning Determining objectivesDetermining objectives Types of inventoriesTypes of inventories Measurements takenMeasurements taken Equipment neededEquipment needed Data recording optionsData recording options Data storage, analysis & reporting optionsData storage, analysis & reporting options

Planning is a necessityPlanning is a necessity

Determining objectivesDetermining objectives Determining the geographic and time boundariesDetermining the geographic and time boundaries Determining the type of inventoryDetermining the type of inventory Determining the available resourcesDetermining the available resources Preparing for the inventoryPreparing for the inventory

Savannah Master Tree PlanSavannah Master Tree Plan

Ensure the safetyEnsure the safety Ensure the healthEnsure the health Ensure the aesthetics (beauty)Ensure the aesthetics (beauty) Ensure the cost-effectivenessEnsure the cost-effectiveness

Not on there --- Ensure the environmental Not on there --- Ensure the environmental benefits?benefits?

Types of street tree Types of street tree inventoriesinventories Remote – e.g. canopyRemote – e.g. canopy WindshieldWindshield

Partial vs. completePartial vs. complete On-the-groundOn-the-ground

Sample or partialSample or partial 100% or complete100% or complete

FrequencyFrequency Continuous Continuous PeriodicPeriodic

Conducting the inventoryConducting the inventory LogisticsLogistics

Who will conduct the inventory?Who will conduct the inventory? Sub-contractorsSub-contractors StaffStaff Volunteers & InternsVolunteers & Interns

What will be measured?What will be measured? Collecting and storing the dataCollecting and storing the data

Tree Assessment ToolsTree Assessment Tools Pocket PC (PDA)Pocket PC (PDA) GPS UnitGPS Unit Desktop PCDesktop PC SoftwareSoftware

Quality controlQuality control

MeasurementsMeasurements Tree locationTree location SpeciesSpecies Size (stem diameter, height, crown diameter)Size (stem diameter, height, crown diameter) ConditionCondition Management needsManagement needs

MaintenanceMaintenance Hazard ratingHazard rating Disorders, defects and injuriesDisorders, defects and injuries RemovalRemoval Planting recommendationsPlanting recommendations

Infrastructure detailsInfrastructure details OtherOther

‘‘Tools of the Trade’Tools of the Trade’ Distance tapeDistance tape Diameter tapeDiameter tape Relascope or clinometer (optional, for tree height)Relascope or clinometer (optional, for tree height) Aerial photographsAerial photographs City maps (showing rights-of-way)City maps (showing rights-of-way) Safety equipmentSafety equipment Data capture & recording equipmentData capture & recording equipment OtherOther

Pre-inventory preparationsPre-inventory preparations

Development of coding systemsDevelopment of coding systems Tree locating systemsTree locating systems Other specificationsOther specifications Crew trainingCrew training Equipment procurement & trainingEquipment procurement & training Use of consultantUse of consultant

Data capture & recording optionsData capture & recording options

Data sheets & SpreadsheetsData sheets & Spreadsheets

Data capture & recording optionsData capture & recording options

Data Recorders, Pocket PC’s and PDA’sData Recorders, Pocket PC’s and PDA’s

Data recording/analyzing Data recording/analyzing optionsoptions GIS & GPSGIS & GPS

Other issuesOther issues

Communication is key!Communication is key! Training and professionalism is essentialTraining and professionalism is essential Practice inventoriesPractice inventories Media can work both waysMedia can work both ways Quality controlQuality control PreplanningPreplanning

Analyzing street tree dataAnalyzing street tree data

LogisticsLogistics Use of the computerUse of the computer Quality controlQuality control

Using street tree dataUsing street tree data

Data summariesData summaries Urban forest management planUrban forest management plan Proactive urban forest management strategiesProactive urban forest management strategies

Analyzing & displaying dataAnalyzing & displaying dataComputer software and Computer software and websiteswebsites

Data summariesData summaries

ConditionCondition SizeSize DiversityDiversity otherother

Tree condition class:Tree condition class:City of Gainesville, FloridaCity of Gainesville, Florida

0.6 1.4

9.7

64.9

19.6

3.6

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

% of Population

Size distribution:Size distribution:City of Gainesville, FloridaCity of Gainesville, Florida

45.2

28.2

13.8

5.7 41.9 1.3

05

1015

202530

3540

4550

12-18 18-24 24-30 30-36 36-42 42-48 48+

Diameter at Breast Height

Per

cen

t of

tot

al

% of Population

Species Diversity:Species Diversity:City of Gainesville, FloridaCity of Gainesville, Florida

28.3

1613

5.7 4.1 4 3.1 2.9 2.5 2

18

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

% of Population

Species Diversity:Species Diversity:City of Gainesville, FloridaCity of Gainesville, Florida

28.3

16

135.7

4.1

4

3.1

2.9

2.5

2

18 Laurel OakLive OakLoblolly PinSlash PineWater OakSweetgumCabbage PalmFlowering DogwoodCamphorLongleaf PineOther

Where to go for more Where to go for more information & assistanceinformation & assistance

Your state forestry agencyYour state forestry agency Your state Extension agencyYour state Extension agency Private urban forestry consultantsPrivate urban forestry consultants Private certified arboristsPrivate certified arborists The internetThe internet

An Example of Online Urban An Example of Online Urban Tree Inventory ResourcesTree Inventory Resources Urban Forestry SouthUrban Forestry South

www.urbanforestrysouth.net TRIMS Tree Inventory SoftwareTRIMS Tree Inventory Software

www.trims.com A Guide to Street Tree Inventory SoftwareA Guide to Street Tree Inventory Software

www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/uf/streettree/toc.htm i-tree: Tools for Assessing & Managing Community i-tree: Tools for Assessing & Managing Community

ForestsForests www.itreetools.orgwww.itreetools.org

ConclusionsConclusions

Plan the inventoryPlan the inventory Conduct with care and precisionConduct with care and precision Analyze data for strategic purposesAnalyze data for strategic purposes Use quality controlUse quality control

Acknowledgements

This publication/training was funded in full or in part by the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program as recommended by the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council (NUCFAC).