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I TreeUpdate2010
I TreeUpdate2010
David J. Nowak (dnowak@fs.fed.us) and Scott Maco (SMaco@davey.com)
May, 2010
The i‐Tree program and user‐base continues to expand. The purpose of this document is to provide an
update on its current status and tools in development.
i‐Tree: Current Status
The program currently has two main programs (i‐Tree Eco and Streets) and 3 utilities (i‐Tree Vue, Species
and Storm). Over 5,700 unique users (over 6,000 copies of the program) have been distributed
worldwide in 83 countries.
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Currently about 83% of all program requests are from the United States. Program distribution is
increasing at a rate of about 30% per year with international distribution increasing from 10% in the
year of the original release (2006) to currently 30% of all distributions. Demand from users outside the
United States has, on average, doubled every year. In 2010, international users are projected to reach
844, approximately equaling the average number of domestic users supported during the first two years
of i‐Tree’s existence.
Annual Requests for i-Tree Tools
3,000
(Download & CD Combined)
2,500
2,000
Unique Users
1,500
Other Countries (83)
1,000 US
500
0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
(Projected)
Year
i‐Tree website traffic has more than doubled since the release of version 3.0 in June 2009. Based on web
activity, forum use, and direct support through phone and email, we estimate that there are 500 active
users—or i‐Tree projects—in any given quarter.
The core i‐Tree suite continues to be refined based on user‐comments with version 4.0 to be released in
2010 that will include a new i‐Tree Hydro model. In addition to integrating i‐Tree Eco and Streets into one
sampling and assessment tool in version 5.0 (2011), numerous other tools are in development and
proposed for development. These new tools will build off the core i‐Tree tool. These programs include:
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i‐Tree Hydro
Overview: A watershed based model that simulates the effects of changes in tree
cover and/or impervious cover on hourly stream flow and water quality.
Target Audience: Planners, designers, hydrologists and others interested in
quantifying the effects of urban trees on stream flow and water quality.
Highlights / Strengths: Specifically handles effects of
trees; calibrates against stream flow data to simulate
hourly stream flow; produces statistics on calibration
efficiency; estimates effects on hourly flow; user can
simulate storm events.
Status: Program is complete; current work is on finalizing
user interface and user’s manual.
Expected Completion: 2010 (to be released with i‐Tree
version 4.0)
i‐Tree Forecast
Overview: This program loads tree population data from i‐Tree samples or inventories
(or users can load in new tree planting projects) and simulates tree population totals,
canopy cover, tree diversity, dbh distribution and benefits by species for up to 100
years based on user‐defined planting rates and default or user‐defined mortality rates
(e.g., user can simulate effect of emerald ash borer by specifically killing of ash trees).
Target Audience: Managers that want to determine: a) the number of trees needing to be planted to
sustain or enhance tree cover and ecosystem services, or b) the potential impacts of certain events (e.g.,
insect infestations, storms, development, natural mortality).
Highlights / Strengths: Provides the ability to simulate tree populations to guide planting and
management to desired states based on field‐sampled or newly‐planted tree populations. Will graph
annual and cumulative benefits of tree populations through time.
Status: Base projector that simulates population totals, tree
cover and carbon storage is near completion. Need to
develop: a) link to pollution removal estimate program
(complete) and VOC emissions module (in development),
energy conservation estimates (in development), pest
potentials (in development), and cost‐benefit analysis based
on user‐defined costs.
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i‐Tree Spatial
Overview: This is a GIS program that will link with i‐Tree forecast and other i‐Tree
modules to map changes in canopy cover and ecosystem services through time and
space based on user management decisions. This program will be the basis for
designing tree cover configurations to optimize benefits to society.
Target Audience: Planners, managers, regulators, designers, environmental justice advocates, and other
who desire to make spatial decisions or visualize effects of management decisions in a map format.
Highlights / Strengths: Will integrate various i‐Tree tools and population data in a spatial platform to help
make decisions on the best locations to protect or plant trees.
Status: Base programs related to determining priority planting areas based
on tree cover and census data is completed. A beta pollution distribution
module is completed and is nearing review by EPA scientists. Air temperature
module (maps out hourly air temperatures) is being updated for
incorporation and will be distributed for further peer‐review. I‐Tree Spatial
will require GIS to operate, unlike i‐Tree Vue, which also provides some basic
mapping capabilities. GIS is required due to the calculations needed to make
spatial assessments. A decision needs to be made by i‐Tree as to whether to
require the user to have an Arc‐GIS license for this model or to run this
program on a web‐server (~$25,000) so the user does not need a GIS license.
Expected Completion: 2012/2013
i‐Tree Design
Overview: This program is designed to move i‐Tree from city‐scale analyses to local‐site
analyses. Users will be able to map trees and buildings on their site using Google Maps
to illustrate current and future benefits of these trees, and determine the best
locations on their site to plant trees in relation to building energy effects and
hydrology.
Target Audience: Homeowners, landscape architects, schools.
Highlights / Strengths: Will illustrate individual tree effects and
how effects can vary with location on a site. Will project
benefits through time by linking with i‐Tree forecast.
Status: Just beginning development. A beta program with the
ability to sketch buildings in Google Maps and map best locations
for energy conservation will be released with version 4.0 (2010).
Expected Completion: 2012/2013
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i‐Tree Calculator
Overview: Will allow users to estimate general benefits associated with individual trees
by inputting tree species, size and city location.
Target Audience: Homeowners, schools.
Highlights / Strengths: Produces general estimates of tree values in a simple manner.
Will produce estimates of values through time (enhanced version).
Status: Base calculator, which is limited to 16 generalized U.S. zones, is to be released with version 4.0
(2010). Enhanced calculator will link to i‐Tree data bases and programs to produce more local estimates
and projections of benefits through time based on local conditions.
Expected Completion: 2010 (base version); 2012/2013 (enhanced version).
i‐Tree Landscape
Overview: This program is a proposed concept to link i‐Tree with regional issues. i‐Tree is
currently an “all lands” model within the context of urban. This program will be designed
to link with rural areas to provide a more integrated tool to assess how changing
landscapes will affect regional ecosystem services.
Target Audience: Forest Service, land and regional managers and planners, developers, ecosystem service
groups
Highlights / Strengths: Will develop one platform to assess how regional changes will influence future
environments and ecosystem services; will integrate the strengths and data of i‐Tree will other experts
and data (e.g., timber modelers, wildlife experts, FIA data, urban growth projection models) to develop a
GIS model to quantify how projected changes in land cover will affect numerous environmental
attributes.
Status: Proposed model
i‐Tree: Other Enhancements
Numerous other enhancements are underway for i‐Tree. These enhancements include:
• Working with international collaborators to develop international versions of i‐Tree
• A stand‐alone air quality assessment model (i‐Tree Air) that provides a simple means to assess
pollution removal by local tree cover
• Expand pest risk assessments (expanding from 5 to 25 pests) along with data on proximity of city
to the actual pest outbreak range
• New assessments on proportion of the tree population that is classified as invasive
• Assessment of soil carbon storage and sequestration
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