1. Peter Bode- CLE Project Manger
Online resources
Tree benefits, canopy analysis, native tree identification, and valuation of your urban forest.
Peter Bode- CLE Project Manger
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2. i-Tree Assessing Community Tree Services and Values
Peter Bode- Cuyahoga River Restoration

3. Cooperative Initiative among these partners
Plan for this evening…
i-Tree 2016 intro & core tool overview
Tool Requirements
i-Tree Canopy
Design phase
i-Tree Landscape
i-Tree Eco
Tree Benefits
Calculator
Testing
Google Earth
i-Tree is a
Cooperative Initiative among these partners

4. Cooperative Initiative among these partners
Learning Objectives
Learn about free tools to assess community tree ecosystem services and values.
Understand the advantages and limitations of key tools and updates to best address objectives.
Recognize how tools may be used strategically to improve tree management and create opportunities
Build a foundation for continued exploration
i-Tree is a
Cooperative Initiative among these partners

5. i-Tree… “Putting USFS Urban Forest science into the hands of users”
Public Domain Software
Based on peer- reviewed research
Technical support
Continuously improved
i-Tree is a
Cooperative Initiative among these partners

6. Cooperative Initiative among these partners
i-Tree Tool User maps
i-Tree is a
Cooperative Initiative among these partners

7. Cooperative Initiative among these partners
The i-Tree Foundation:
Structure 
Function 
Value
i-Tree is a
Cooperative Initiative among these partners

8. Numerous opportunities…
Economic Development
Public Health
Air quality improvement
Energy Conservation
Outreach & Education
Community Sustainability
Tree Benefits
Pest & disease risk analysis
Policy Formation & Evaluation
Stormwater Management
Green Infrastructure
Climate Adaptation
i-Tree is a
Cooperative Initiative among these partners

9. Cooperative Initiative among these partners
i-Tree Suite of Tools 2015
Web-based, run in your browser
Landscape
Installed on a Windows desktop/laptop
i-Tree is a
Cooperative Initiative among these partners

10. i-Tree Streets (being phased out) Stepping to ECO
Structure (species condition, age distribution, importance, etc.)
Function
Energy
Air pollution
Stormwater interception
Carbon
Aesthetic value
Values ($)
Some management needs
Pest detection module (optional)
i-Tree is a
Cooperative Initiative among these partners

11. Cooperative Initiative among these partners
i-Tree Design
Analysis of individual trees associated with structures (US & Canada)
Calculates benefits over time
General public use
Web accessible
i-Tree is a
Cooperative Initiative among these partners

12. Cooperative Initiative among these partners
i-Tree Design
Estimates 4 core ecosystem services
Stormwater interception
Energy (impacts on heating/cooling)
Air quality improvement
Carbon sequestration
$6,476 worth of benefits over the next 30 years …and growing
Assesses value ($) of current and future benefits
i-Tree is a
Cooperative Initiative among these partners

13. Opportunities with i-Tree Design
Engage residential & private property owners
Advocacy and outreach efforts
Sustainability programs
Evaluate tree planting projects
Work with educators & schools
Integrate in your organization’s website
i-Tree is a
Cooperative Initiative among these partners

14.    i-Tree Canopy
Quick Land Use Mapping

15. What is i-Tree Canopy? Tool to estimate tree canopy cover
Facilitates user guided aerial image interpretation
Flexible, user-defined boundaries
Flexible, user-defined cover categories
Estimates air pollution and carbon benefits of tree canopy
Estimates value of benefits

16. Conducting an i-Tree Canopy assessment
1. User defines area of interest (valid from parcel to larger scales)
User drawn Loaded shapefile

17. Conducting an i-Tree Canopy assessment
2a. User defines cover categories
Anything you can see on Google satellite image

18. Conducting an i-Tree Canopy assessment
2b. Select location and customize benefits estimates

19. Conducting an i-Tree Canopy assessment
3. i-Tree Canopy generates random points …
…user classifies each point into a cover class

20. 500-1000 points later … Results!
% cover = points in cover type
total points assessed
cover type area =
% cover × 𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡 𝑡𝑎𝑎𝑡

21. …Results!
Pollutant removal and carbon sequestration rates per acre of canopy were determined for the urban and rural areas in each county using
i-Tree Eco methodology
Valuations for pollutant removals are based the EPA’s BenMAP model and incorporate the estimates of the human population affected.

22. Advantages Limitations Statistically valid estimates
Canopy cover estimated in ½ a day
Flexible boundaries and cover types
No GIS software or experience needed
Web-based, only requires an internet connection and a browser
Removal rates and valuations based on US data
Limited to imagery available in Google satellite view
Date of image not readily available
Results are not spatially explicit
GIS expertise needed for more complex projects

23. More in depth processes you can perform with Canopy

24. Export survey to Google Earth
Change survey
Export survey to Google Earth
Use Google Earth’s historical imagery to “update”
2007
2014

25. Complicated boundaries: Stream buffers
70.0%
60.0%
Watershed
Streamside
50.0%
40.0%
30.0%
Percent cover
20.0%
10.0%
0.0%
Agriculture Impervious
Other pervious
Plantable Space
Tree
Water

26. Cooperative Initiative among these partners
i-Tree Hydro
Works best on watershed basis (with  gauging station)
Qualitative modeling can be easily completed using preprocessed topographic indexes (TIs) & i-Tree Canopy
Understanding model inputs & results can be challenging
Difficult for use outside U.S. due to data needs
i-Tree is a
Cooperative Initiative among these partners

27. Cooperative Initiative among these partners
i-Tree Hydro
Elevation
High
Hydro
Low
Current vs. Management Scenario
Quantifies effects of:
Tree cover Impervious cover
on:
Stream flow Water quality
i-Tree is a
Cooperative Initiative among these partners

28. Link to the tools
Visit to give it a try

29. i-Tree Landscape
Overview Tree Planting Prioritization

30. i-Tree is a Cooperative Initiative among these partners
Step 1: Find a Location

31. i-Tree is a Cooperative Initiative among these partners
Step 1: Find a Location

32. i-Tree is a Cooperative Initiative among these partners
Step 1: Find a Location

33. i-Tree is a Cooperative Initiative among these partners
Step 1: Find a Location

34. Step 2: Explore the Location
i-Tree is a Cooperative Initiative among these partners
Step 2: Explore the Location
Akron, OH

35. Step 2: Explore the Location
i-Tree is a Cooperative Initiative among these partners
Step 2: Explore the Location

36. i-Tree is a Cooperative Initiative among these partners
Step 3: Tree Benefits!

37. Step 4: Prioritize Tree Planting
i-Tree is a Cooperative Initiative among these partners
Step 4: Prioritize Tree Planting
Akron, OH

38. Step 4: Prioritize Tree Planting
i-Tree is a Cooperative Initiative among these partners
Step 4: Prioritize Tree Planting

39. Step 4: Prioritize Tree Planting
i-Tree is a Cooperative Initiative among these partners
Step 4: Prioritize Tree Planting
Akron, OH

40. i-Tree Eco 2015

41. What is i-Tree Eco? Field-based assessment requiring inventory data
Flagship software based on latest science & local data
Originally developed for assessing whole urban forest
Adapted for individual tree assessments
Internationally functional

42. i-Tree Eco Assess: Structure Function Energy effects Air quality
Carbon
Avoided runoff
Human health impacts
VOCs
Value ($)
Management info
Pest risk
Tree health
Exotic/invasive spp.

43. i-Tree Eco Summary

44. Eco 2015 Highlights… Simplified & new data collection options
Forecasting capabilities
Multiple years of hourly pollution & weather data now available

45. The Basic Science
Crown width
Measured variables to estimate foliage volume and wood volume
Estimate tree leaf area using species specific equations
Estimate benefits largely based on leaf area interactions with local weather and air pollution
Summarize structure, function, value
Tree height
Crown base
Tree DBH

46. i-Tree Eco Model Schematic
Field Data
Structure
Air Quality
Species DB (6,400+ spp.)
Carbon
Forecast
Location DB (City info)
Avoided Runoff
Energy Effects
Hourly Pollution Data
Hourly Weather Data
Valuation

47. Eco “Classic” Tree Data Variables
Tree species
Diameter at breast height DBH
Total tree height
Height to live top
Height to crown base
Crown width (N-S & E-W)
% Crown missing
Condition (% dieback)
Crown light exposure
Direction to building
Distance to building
Land use

48. Eco Model Routines and Data Associations
Carbon Storage & Seq.
Avoided Runoff
Structural Value
Pollution
Energy Effects
Forecast
Species
Species
Species
Species
Species
Species
DBH
Live Top height
Live Top height
Total Height
DBH
DBH
Total Height
Crown base height
Crown base height
Dist. & Dir. to building
Land use
Crown Light Exposure
Crown Light Exposure
Crown width
Crown width
% Dieback (Condition)
% Dieback (Condition)
% Dieback (Condition)
% Crown missing
% Crown missing

49. Eco Data Collection Web-enabled mobile device, or paper
Server
Web-enabled mobile device, or paper
Measure required & optional variables
Run data in model to obtain results
Eco sample plot data link
Eco inventory data link

50. Project Management Considerations
Assign a project manager & train data collectors
May need permission to access private property
Difficult in more natural areas (> 1 day per plot)
Travel between plots and locating plots can be time consuming

51. Individual tree reporting
Structure and benefits of any tree you measured
Report benefits of a single tree
With GPS data map benefit locations
Find tree providing the greatest benefits

52. i-Tree Forecast - What is it?
A new module within i-Tree Eco 2015
Project tree growth over time
Include population modeling
User guided planting and mortality
Projects changes in selected tree benefits

53. Forecasting: How it works
Current DBH and Height
Frost free days
Crown light exposure
DBH
growth
Dieback
Species specific
Based on new DBH
Includes impacts of competition
Species specific
Crown estimates
Includes impacts of competition
Carbon storage based tree size
Pollution removal based on leaf area
Leaf area & benefits
Apply user defined mortality
Add user defined plantings
Death and • Apply in specified years
Planting
Adjust density

54. Forecasting: Basic Options
Set-up forecast duration, years
Estimate days of the year without frost (localized defaults provided)
Set up base/background mortality rates for different tree conditions
These options impact all trees

55. Forecasting: Extreme weather
Default storm categories provided
All trees impacted
Mortality and year of occurrence are flexible
Repeat storms possible, e.g. 5 year storm events

56. Forecasting Results: Change in structure

57. Forecasting Results: Change in benefits

58. Potential Applications
Model different scenarios
Species mixes
Climate change impacts
Size/type of planting stock
Planting
How many trees will you need to plant to maintain current stocking, offset known losses, achieve canopy goals
Maintenance
What benefits will be lost if lack of maintenance leads to higher mortality
Lots of flexibility

59. National Tree Benefits Calculator
Single Tree Benefits Example
This is a useful tool to outline the benefits of each
tree on a property. This tool follows the same results schematic as I-Tree so you can cross reference results with the overall analysis.
Treebenefits.com/calculator

68. Peter Bode- CLE Project Manger
Thank you. Questions?
Peter Bode- CLE Project Manger
x13