Assess the tree resource
Every urban forest management plan should include an assessment of existing tree resources. Some of the factors to consider:
- location (e.g., zone within the plan area, tree location relative to streets or structures),
- extent (e.g., number, canopy cover percentage or area),
- composition (e.g., species, size/age distribution),
- condition (e.g., health, hazard potential, pruning needs),
- management responsibility (e.g., public vs, private, agency/department/unit)
You may organize your assessment of the urban forest using those categories that are most meaningful to you. Some possibilities:
- location: street trees, park trees, open space trees
- land use: residential, commercial, industrial, public facilities
- management zones: building envelope, parking lots, lawns, trails
- responsible department: public works, parks
You will also need to select he methods you will use to assess the trees in each category. Possibilities include:
- tree inventories,
- sample surveys,
- canopy cover analyses,
- targeted studies for special situations (e.g. fuel management areas).
Researchers have developed various models that you can use to estimate the economic value of the urban forest. These models measure the economic value of tree benefits and costs. To use these models, you will need to collect or compile the specific data that are used in the calculations.
Guide to tree assessments
This website describes tree assessments by the categories shown below. You may skip over categories that are not included in your plan.
[Programmers note: The page getting_started_what-where.html includes a form that is directly related to these categories. The list below could be incorporated into a table that shows which topics have been previously checked to be included in the user's plan. The "next page" button could then take the user to the first category they have checked, but they could still follow the links to go to pages they haven't checked.]
Canopy cover
Street trees
Facility trees
Parking lot trees
Park trees
Heritage trees
Open space trees