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Center For Urban Forest Research Newsletter, Spring-Summer 2006
Center For Urban Forest Research Newsletter, Spring-Summer 2006
SPRING/SUMMER 2006
RESEARCH
USDA Forest Service • Pacific Southwest Research Station • Center for Urban Forest Research
Using Volunteers to
InThis Effectively Collect Tree Data
Issue
Page Title
Using volunteers to collect
tree data is nothing new.
But, as some communities
have experienced, using
them effectively is still a
1 Using Volunteers to challenge. Are there steps
Effectively Collect you can take to make the
Tree Data process more effective?
That was the question we
3 New Research in the wanted our study to an-
swer.
Works:
During the summer of 2004,
3 L.A.'s Million Trees
89 trained volunteers con-
Initiative
ducted a sample street tree inventory in Minneapolis, MN. We were present to
3 Oakland Watershed conduct an evaluation of the process and the outcomes. After training sessions,
Restoration and inventory data were collected using the new i-Tree software application by
Protection Study entering data into a PDA (personal digital assistant). To measure the accuracy
of the volunteer’s data we compared a 10% sub-set of their data to data col-
4 Sacramento Air Quality lected by professionals.
Initiative Project
The City of Minneapolis, Minnesota was chosen as a pilot city for testing the new
5 Green Streets i-Tree suite of software tools (www.itreetools.org). The Minneapolis Parks and
Stormwater Recreation Department had cataloged approximately 25% of their estimated
Management System 200,000 trees. A second reason for selecting Minneapolis was the presence of
the Tree Trust. The Tree Trust has a 30-year history of leading local urban for-
estry efforts. Because of its experience and expertise, the Tree Trust was well
positioned to organize a large group of volunteers. Our evaluation focused on
the use of i-Tree’s STRATUM program to estimate the structure, function, and
value of the street tree population. Volunteers were trained to collect standard
inventory data for randomly selected city blocks throughout Minneapolis.
Tree data collection began on training, and cover their maintenance and
August 18, 2004, and was nearly downloading.
complete by September 13, 2004. • Before training, determine (via questionnaire)
Volunteers were organized into 20 which volunteers want to survey trees in their
teams, and they collected data on neighborhoods, allow them to self-select
teammates, and form teams early during the
4,577 trees from 405 city blocks. training session so they can network.
We compared the accuracy of 431 • Produce a training manual that clearly addresses
trees inventoried by volunteers the different data fields.
and professionals and found that • Cover street side safety tips during training and
volunteers correctly rated leaf in the manual.
condition (81%), species (80%),
• Conduct a walking/windshield survey of each
and tree size (diameter at breast city block to verify its existence, extent, and clear
height) (77%). Volunteers and pro- designation on the map. Have replacement city
fessionals agreed less frequently blocks ready for each zone.
on the condition of each tree’s • Develop a formal troubleshooting process
wood (69%), tree root–sidewalk before deploying volunteers so that people in
STRATUM CASE Study
Evaluation in Minneapolis, conflicts (66%), recommended maintenance (49%), the field know who can answer specific types of
Minnesota and priority task (9%). questions.
and his plan to plant one million trees in the next Oakland Watershed Restoration 2. Public-private
four years demonstrates the relevance of urban and Protection Study partnerships
and community forestry to the environmental and The study site is Oakland’s Ettie Street watershed, a 3. Individual plantings
economic health of Los Angeles. 1.8 square mile watershed on the eastern edge of
the San Francisco Bay. The watershed contains pre-
Urban and community forestry solutions will dominately commercial, industrial, and residential
protect and restore environmental quality while land uses. Urban Releaf is planting 1,800 trees. The
enhancing economic opportunity. Community Center for Urban Forest Research is studying the
trees can improve air quality, manage storm water trees’ ability to reduce runoff and improve runoff
runoff, mitigate water shortages, conserve energy, quality. Objectives are to:
enhance public health, increase land values and
local tax bases, provide job training and employ- • Evaluate the effect increased tree cover will have
ment opportunities, reduce costs of city services, on:
- Reducing flooding and erosion
and increase public safety.
Oakland Watershed
THE NEED Sacramento Urban Forest for
Restoration and
Because land surfaces in the Ettie Street watershed
Clean Air Project
Protection Project
Our Center is working with the Sacramento Tree
are largely impervious, most rainfall runs into storm
Foundation (STF) and local air quality management
drains, and is then pumped directly into the Bay. The
districts to evaluate the effectiveness of large-scale
volume of runoff and water quality are at dangerous
tree planting on the future air quality of the Sacra-
levels during certain storm events. And no formal
mento Region.
assessment or monitoring has been conducted in
this watershed. Using this information, we are developing a prelimi-
nary revision to the State Implementation Plan (SIP)
This and other East Bay watersheds are the last
that includes tree planting as an ozone reduction
opportunity to regulate flows into the Bay from
strategy. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
the upstream Delta system. Highways, streets, and
(EPA) will evaluate this revision from a policy and
parking lots in the watershed are major sources of
technical perspective. A more detailed study may
heavy metals, sediment, oil, and grease. Rooftops in
result from their findings. If large-scale tree planting
the watershed are sources of coliform bacteria from
is accepted in the SIP, a new source of funds for tree
birds, copper and zinc from gutters, and nitrogen
planting and stewardship will become available for
and phosphorous from atmospheric deposition.
implementation of the regional Greenprint. http://
The watershed’s sparse tree canopy contributes to www.sactree.com/aboutUs/programsServices/
storm water runoff problems. Rainfall interception greenprint/greenprintOverview.html
by the urban forest could reduce the volume of run-
off, but few studies have been conducted to mea- THE NEED
sure the effectiveness of trees in urban settings. The Sacramento Metropolitan Area is among the ten
most ozone-polluted regions in the United States. The
OUR CENTER’S RESEARCH Sacramento Region is designated as a serious ozone
We are helping to train volunteers, who are collect- “non-attainment area” by the U.S. EPA. The Sacra-
ing data on the urban forest resource and monitor- mento region is also among the most polluted areas
ing watershed health. We are measuring the effects for short-term particle pollution (24-hour PM2.5),
of increasing tree cover on both the quantity and with diesel exhaust being a primary culprit.
quality of runoff. Also, we are modeling how annual
The six million existing trees in the Sacramento re-
and peak runoff will change as trees mature over a
gion are removing approximately 1,600 tons of air
40 year period.
www.hort.cornell.edu/uhi/outreach/csc/index.html
www.hort.cornell.edu/uhi/outreach/csc/graphics.html
Send comments or suggestions to: Editor: Jim Geiger and Shelley Gardner
Shelley Gardner Production: Studio66
Center for Urban Forest Research
Pacific Southwest Research Station
USDA Forest Service
c/o Department of Plant Sciences We conduct research that demonstrates new ways in which
Mail Stop 6, University of California
1 Shields Avenue, Suite 1103 trees add value to your community, converting results into
Davis, CA 95616-8780 financial terms to assist you in stimulating more invest-
or contact shelleygardner@fs.fed.us ment in trees.
Check Out Our Website
www.fs.fed.us/psw/programs/cufr/
Urban Forest Research Spring/Summer 2006 6