Making iTree Work in your Community

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Making i-Tree Work in your Community
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Who will use i-Tree?
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i-Tree Pilot in Minneapolis
The first city in the nation to test the data
collection and analysis applications of the
i-Tree software suite
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i-Tree Pilot in Minneapolis

• Why Minneapolis?
• Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board legacy of
  stewardship of the urban forest
• Strong partnerships
• Existing inventory of planted trees
• Need for tree information to strengthen models

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i-Tree Pilot in Minneapolis

• Partners Resources
• Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board
• Minnesota Dept. Nat. Res.
• Tree Trust
• Community Volunteers
• Tree Care Advisors
• Davey Tree
• USDA Forest Service

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Minneapolis Experience

• Pilot Study of Volunteer Data Collection

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Minneapolis Pilot Project

• During the summer of 2004, the Forest Service and
  its cooperators tested the i-Tree software using
  volunteers
• Professionals collected information along with
  volunteers

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Purpose of Pilot Study

• Accuracy of volunteer data collection
• Usability of maps PDAs
• Recruitment, training, organization of
  volunteers

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Volunteer Project Logistics

• gt3000 Trees in sample
• Divided city into 20 different groups, needed at
  least 3 per team or 120 as a goal (89
  volunteered)
• Each group inventoried 18-24 street segments
• Allowed each team 30 days to complete their data
  collection.

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Volunteering for the Project

• No prior tree knowledge required
• Work at least 8 hours
• Work in teams of 2 or 3
• May work any day of the week
• Work with friends
• T-shirt and water bottle provided
• Volunteer recognition event

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Volunteer Recruitment

• Informational open house
• Newspaper article in Minneapolis Paper
• Neighborhood groups
• Emails to local corporate volunteer coordinators
• Email network
• Tree Care Advisors/Master Gardeners

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Volunteer Training

• Volunteer Manual
• Hands-on 1 Day Training

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Training Day

• 8 hour training
• Central Minneapolis location
• Training topics basics of inventory, PDAs, tree
  characteristics and identification.
• LUNCH provided

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Training Components

• Classroom Tree ID
• Outdoor Tree ID
• Tree Characteristics
• Measurement
• Software/PDA Operation

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Training

• Classroom Tree ID

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Training

• Tree ID Field

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Training

• Tree Characteristics

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Training

• Measurement

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Training

• Software -PDA

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Volunteer Organization

• Organizing Teams
• Scheduling Data Collection
• Distribution of Groups

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Typical Volunteer Day

• Meet team at designated time and location.
• Check over equipment (PDA, clipboard, maps, pens,
  dbh tape, tree id book, etc.)
• Collect information through out the day and meet
  with public.
• Expect to collect information on 100 trees in a
  day.
• Call if you have problems or questions!
• Have fun!

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Tools

• PDA charger
• PDA backup chip
• DBH tape
• Map
• Reference materials
• Phone

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Inventory Map
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Volunteer Recognition

• Recognize volunteers for their efforts

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Results Recommendations

• 80 accurate for species, size, leaf condition.
• Less accurate for conflicts (66) maintenance
  needs(49) due to training.
• With more focused training, volunteers can
  collect reliable data
• Cover PDAs, maps, tree assessment in 6-hr day
• Separate 3-4 hour tree id session w/ dress
  rehearsal
• Slide library showing different management needs
• Demonstrate how to troubleshoot PDAs
• Cover street side safety tips
• Show key ways to distinguish most important
  species

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Results Recommendations

• Organization use questionnaire to determine who
  wants to survey trees in own neighborhood and
  group together in training.
• Develop formal troubleshooting process before
  deploying volunteers so assistance is available.
• Have refresher session soon after deployment to
  review solutions to common problems.

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Things to Consider

• Staff time in managing volunteers
• Accuracy of inventory
• Amount of training

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Summary

• Using volunteers can be successful, evaluate if
  it is the right choice for your community.

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Making It Work in Your Community

• Examples

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Minnesota Arbor Day
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Investing a little money now will save a lot
of money later.
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Minneapolis Tree Advisory Commission
Annual Report January 2006
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Minneapolis - The City of Trees
Our Growing Capital Asset For All People
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Introduction

• The State of the Urban Forest
• Benefits
• Impacts
• Threats

• Recommendations
• Resources
• Policies
• Outreach

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The Benefits of the Urban Forest
The trees of Minneapolis are THE growing capital
asset that benefits everyone in the City.
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The Benefits of the Urban Forest

• Each year Minneapolis street trees provide
• 6.8 million in energy savings
• 9.1 million in reduced storm water runoff
• 7.1 million increased property value
• Plus improvements to air quality

• 24.9 million TOTAL
• value each year !

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The Impacts of Dutch Elm Disease
Only 10 of Minneapolis street trees are
elms. But they generate 30 of tree benefits.
LARGE TREES MOST BANG FOR BUCK
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To provide Benefits
Each PUBLIC UTILITY requires ongoing
public investments
60 of Minneapolis street trees currently need
some maintenance
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Major Threats to the Urban Forest
Most Minneapolis trees are green ash!
Percentage by Tree Species
If Emerald Ash Borer came 22 of our trees would
be clear-cut
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Major Threats to the Urban Forest
Climate change brings more costs
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• Policies
• Outreach
• Funding

RECOMMENDATIONS
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In summary
The trees of Minneapolis are THE growing capital
asset that benefits everyone in the City.
Your action leadership is critical

•   Adopt urban forestry standards.
• Initiate 50-year Vision.
• Support the public-private Urban Forest
  Stewardship Campaign.

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Making It Work in Your Community

• Tools

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Trees Pay Us Backna.fs.fed.us/urban
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Midwest Planting Worksheet

• Input
• Electricity and gas prices
• Annual tree costs
• of Trees planted

• Output
• Benefits
• Costs
• Benefit/Cost Ratio

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Trees. Worth Our Time. Worth Our Resources.

• Part of community infrastructure
• Vital to community health
• Community legacy
• Positive impact on business and tax base
• Wise investment of community dollars

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Trees Pay Us Back.
100 Trees Over 40 Years...

• Benefits 379,000
• Energy
• Air Quality
• Runoff
• Real Estate

Costs 148,000 Planting - Pruning
Removal/Disposal Irrigation Sidewalk
Repair Litter Legal - Admin

Pay Off 231,000
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What You Can Do...

• Establish long-term goals for the community
  forest
• Fund programs for maintenance and care
• Support volunteer organizations
• Champion community trees

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Trees Pay Us Back brochure
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Trees Pay Us Backna.fs.fed.us/urban
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Benefits Costs of CNV Street Trees
Advocacy in CNV
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Existing CNV Street
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The Opportunity
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Existing CNV Street
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The Opportunity
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Existing CNV Sidewalk
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The Opportunity
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Existing CNV Home
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The Opportunity
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Energy and Air Benefits
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Energy Savings / Yrfor Citywide street tree
collection

• Reduces Urban Heat Island Effect
• Saves Electricity
• 34.1 MWH
• Saves Natural Gas
• 426.2 Mbtu
• Dollar value 6,514 / yr

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Greenhouse Gas Benefits
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Greenhouse Gas (CO2) Reductions / Yrfor Citywide
street tree collection

• Sequesters 569,138 kg / year
• Through reduced energy use, avoids production of
  2,052 kg /year
• Releases 150,471 kg / year through decomposition
  maintenance activities
• Net Reduction is 420,719 kg / year
• Dollar value of 9,366 / yr
• Equivalent to CO2 emitted by about 78 lightweight
  vehicles in a year

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Watershed (Stormwater) Benefits
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Stormwater Savings / Yrfor Citywide street tree
collection

• Total Rainfall Interception 1.98 million litres
• Dollar value 66,362 / yr
• Enough to fill up 2000 swimming pools (6 x 12 x
  1.36 meter backyard pool)

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Property Benefits
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Property Value Increase / Yrfor Citywide street
tree collection

• Increases property values by 419,728 per yr
• Increase per tree averages 78.44 per yr - Based
  on U.S. studies of increased sale prices on
  parcels with trees.
• Retail studies show that shoppers will stay
  longer and pay higher prices on commercial
  streets that have trees.

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Average Annual Benefits by Tree Type
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Summary of Street Tree Valuesfor City of North
Vancouver citywide street tree collection

• 501,000 / year
• 94 / tree / year
•  Over 50 years
• 25 million
• 4,700 / tree

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BenefitCost Ratio gt51 for City Costs
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Risks to the Street Tree System

• Lack of Maintenance of Existing Street Trees
• Poor Tree Pruning, leading to future costs
• Risk of Disease in monoculture plantings
• Improper planting design leading to plant or
  sidewalk failure
• Need for on-going replacement plantings
• Loss of native evergreens
• Constraints of overhead utilities

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Plant Your Ideas
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Plant Your Ideas

• Look for the poster at prominent locations.
• Support teachers in using the materials.
• Watch for articles in local newspapers.
• Surf the web see www.cnv.org for
• Detailed information
• A response form to collect your ideas
• PLANT A TREE!