Quantifying urban forest structure, function, and value: the Chicago Urban Forest Climate Project (original) (raw)
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1994
Results of the 3-year Chicago Urban Forest Climate Project indicate that there are an estimated 50.8 million trees in the Chicago area of Cook and DuPage Counties; 66 percent of these trees rated in good or excellent condition. During 1991, trees in the Chicago area removed an estimated 6,145 tons of air pollutants, providing air cleansing valued at 9.2milliondollars,Thesetreesalsosequesterapproximately155,000tonsofcarbonperyear,andprovideresidentialheatingandcoolingenergysavingsthat,inturn,reducecarbonemissionsfrompowerplantsbyabout12,600tonsannually.Shade,lowersummerairtemperatures,andareductioninwindspeedassociatedwithincreasingtreecoverby10percentcanlowertotalheatingandcoolingenergyuseby5to10percentannually(9.2 million dollars, These trees also sequester approximately 155,000 tons of carbon per year, and provide residential heating and cooling energy savings that, in turn, reduce carbon emissions from power plants by about 12,600 tons annually. Shade, lower summer air temperatures, and a reduction in windspeed associated with increasing tree cover by 10 percent can lower total heating and cooling energy use by 5 to 10 percent annually (9.2milliondollars,Thesetreesalsosequesterapproximately155,000tonsofcarbonperyear,andprovideresidentialheatingandcoolingenergysavingsthat,inturn,reducecarbonemissionsfrompowerplantsbyabout12,600tonsannually.Shade,lowersummerairtemperatures,andareductioninwindspeedassociatedwithincreasingtreecoverby10percentcanlowertotalheatingandcoolingenergyuseby5to10percentannually(50 to 90perdwellingunit).Theprojectednetpresentvalueofinvestmentinplantingandcareof95,000treesinChicagois90 per dwelling unit). The projected net present value of investment in planting and care of 95,000 trees in Chicago is 90perdwellingunit).Theprojectednetpresentvalueofinvestmentinplantingandcareof95,000treesinChicagois38 million ($402 per planted tree), indicating that the long-term benefits of trees are more than twice their costs. Policy and program opportunities to strengthen the connection between city residents and city trees are presented.
Assessing urban forest effects and values, Chicago's urban forest
An analysis of trees in Chicago, IL, reveals that this city has about 3,585,000 trees with canopies that cover 17.2 percent of the area. The most common tree species are white ash, mulberry species, green ash, and tree-of-heaven. Chicago's urban forest currently stores about 716,000 tons of carbon valued at $14.8 million. In addition, these trees remove about 25,200 tons of carbon per year
Understanding the Benefits and Costs of Urban Forest Ecosystems
Urban and community forestry in the northeast, 2007
One of the first considerations in developing a strong and comprehensive urban forestry program is determining the desired outcomes from managing and maintaining vegetation in cities. Urban trees offer a wide range of potential benefits to the urban environment and society. However, there also are a wide range of potential costs and, as with all ecosystems, numerous interactions that must be understood if society is to optimize the net benefits from urban vegetation. Inadequate understanding of the wide range of benefits, costs, and expected outcomes of urban vegetation management designs and plans, as well as interactions among them, may drastically reduce the contribution of vegetation toward improving urban life and the environment. By altering the type and arrangement of trees in a city (i.e., the urban forest structure), one can directly and indirectly affect the city's physical, biological, and socioeconomic environments. Management plans can be developed and implemented to address specific problems within cities. Though trees can provide mUltiple benefits at one site, not all benefits can be realized in each location. Individual management plans should focus on optimizing the mix of benefits that are most important in a particular area. 2. Physical-Biological Benefits and Costs of Urban Vegetation Through proper planning, designing, and management, urban trees can mitigate many of the environmental impacts of urban development by moderating climate, reducing building energy use and atmospheric carbon dioxide (C0 2), improving air quality, lowering rain
Assessing urban forest effects and values: the greater Kansas City region
An analysis of trees in the greater Kansas City region of Missouri and Kansas reveals that this area has about 249,450,000 trees with tree and shrub canopy that covers 28.3 percent of the region. The most common tree species are American elm, northern hackberry, Osage-orange, honeylocust, and eastern redcedar. Trees in the greater Kansas City region currently store about 19.9 million tons of carbon (72.8 million tons CO 2) valued at 411million.Inaddition,thesetreesremoveabout1.0milliontonsofcarbonperyear(3.7milliontonsCO2peryearvaluedat411 million. In addition, these trees remove about 1.0 million tons of carbon per year (3.7 million tons CO 2 per year valued at 411million.Inaddition,thesetreesremoveabout1.0milliontonsofcarbonperyear(3.7milliontonsCO2peryearvaluedat20.7 million per year) and about 26,000 tons of air pollution per year ($198.3 million per year). The greater Kansas City region's trees are estimated to reduce annual residential energy costs by 14.0millionperyear.Thecompensatoryvalueofthetreesisestimatedat14.0 million per year. The compensatory value of the trees is estimated at 14.0millionperyear.Thecompensatoryvalueofthetreesisestimatedat93.4 billion. Loss of the current tree cover in the Blue River watershed of the greater Kansas City region would increase total fl ow over a 6.5-month period by an average of 2.3 percent (63.4 million ft 3). Information on the structure and functions of the urban forest can be used to inform urban forest management programs and to integrate urban forests within plans to improve environmental quality in the greater Kansas City region.
Assessing Urban Forest Effects and Values, New York City's Urban Forest
… We recommend that …, 2010
An analysis of trees in New York City reveals that this city has about 5.2 million trees with canopies that cover 20.9 percent of the area. The most common tree species are tree of heaven, black cherry, and sweetgum. The urban forest currently stores about 1.35 million tons of carbon valued at 24.9million.Inaddition,thesetreesremoveabout42,300tonsofcarbonperyear(24.9 million. In addition, these trees remove about 42,300 tons of carbon per year (24.9million.Inaddition,thesetreesremoveabout42,300tonsofcarbonperyear(779,000 per year) and about 2,202 tons of air pollution per year
Urban forest sustainability in the United States
2017
Urban forests in the United States provide numerous ecosystem services that vary in magnitude across the country and are valued in the billions of dollars per year. Urban tree cover has been on the decline in recent years. Numerous forces for change will continue to alter urban forests in the coming years (i.e., development, climate change, insects and diseases, invasive plants, wildfires). These forces can both decrease (e.g., via enhanced tree loss) and increase (e.g., via enhanced tree planting and/or natural regeneration) tree cover. On average, about one in three trees are planted in U.S. cities; this proportion varies by land use, ecoregion, and population density. Monitoring the magnitude and characteristics of these natural and human-caused tree gains and losses is important for creating and managing sustainable and healthy urban forests. Such forests often require knowledge of the local forest resource and benefits and the development of long-term urban forest management go...
Assessing the US Urban Forest Resources
2001
Urbanareas intheconterminous United States doubled insize between 1969 and1994, and community wall-being, provideawide •, currently cover 3.5percent ofthetotal land area andcontain more than75percentof theUS range of services to individuals and population. Urban areascontain approximately 3.8billion treeswithanaverage treecanopy communities, and produce a more c_ver_f27percent_Theextentandvariati_n_furbanf_restsacr_ssthe48statesareexp__red healthful and comfortableenvirontohelp build abetter understanding ofthissignificant national resource. Urbanization and ment for mostAmericans. Knowledge urban forests arelikelyto beasignificant focus offorestry inthe21st century, of the current and potential significance of urban forests is expanding Keywords:inventory; urban forestry rapidly as research continues to document the important role urban forests can play in improving the quality of uman population is having an and other associated resources within life. Urban residents will look to urban ever-increasingimpact on the urban areas) are characterized by the forests and associated management local, regional, and global en-integration of natural resources with programs for an increasing number of vironments. This impact is particularly human developments (Nowak 1994a). benefits in the years ahead. significant in urban areas, where con-In these situations, vegetation often has Through appropriate planning, decentrations of people fragment and substantial environmental, social, and transform natural resources, resulting economic values. Above: Urban forests are ecosystems comin large-scale environmental conse-Urban forests can improve environ-posed ofinteractive anthropogenic andnatural quences. Urban forests (i.e., all trees mental quality,enhance individual and systems.
Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 2012
Urban trees can potentially mitigate environmental degradation accompanying rapid urbanisation via a range of tree benefits and services. But uncertainty exists about the extent of tree benefits and services because urban trees also impose costs (e.g. asthma) and may create hazards (e.g. windthrow). Few researchers have systematically assessed how urban tree benefits and costs vary across different cities, geographic scales and climates. This paper provides a quantitative review of 115 original urban tree studies, examining: (i) research locations, (ii) research methods, and (iii) assessment techniques for tree services and disservices. Researchers published findings in 33 journals from diverse disciplines including: forestry, land use planning, ecology, and economics. Research has been geographically concentrated (64% of studies were conducted in North America). Nearly all studies (91.3%) used quantitative research, and most studies (60%) employed natural science methods. Demonstrated tree benefits include: economic, social, health, visual and aesthetic benefits; identified ecosystem services include: carbon sequestration, air quality improvement, storm water attenuation, and energy conservation. Disservices include: maintenance costs, light attenuation, infrastructure damage and health problems, among others. Additional research is required to better inform public policy, including comparative assessment of tree services and disservices, and assessment of urban residents and land managers’ understanding of tree benefits and costs.
A Ground-Based Method of Assessing Urban Forest Structure and Ecosystem Services
… and Urban Forestry, 2008
To properly manage urban forests, it is essential to have data on this important resource. An efficient means to obtain this information is to randomly sample urban areas. To help assess the urban forest structure (e.g., number of trees, species composition, tree sizes, health) and several functions (e.g., air pollution removal, carbon storage and sequestration), the Urban Forest Effects (UFORE) model was developed. Data collection variables and model methods are detailed and urban forest structure results are compared among 14 United States cities with average tree density ranging between 22.5 trees/ha (9.1 trees/ac) in Casper, Wyoming, U.S. to 275.8 trees/ha (111.6 trees/ac) in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Advantages and disadvantages of this ground-based method of assessing urban forest structure, functions, and values are discussed.