Developers 19972006

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Storm Damage Assessment Protocol

• Developers 1997-2006
• USDA FS, Northeastern Area, Center for Urban
  Community Forestry
• Davey Resource Group

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Overview

• Quick Shot
• Sampling Protocol
• Estimating Engine
• Report Means
• Data Collection

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Quick shot
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Whats this all about?

• Easy and accurate estimate
• Tree storm damage
• Costs for recovery
• Data quality and integrity
• Simple method
• Quick reporting

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Context of use

• Planning
• Framed by overall natural disaster plan
• FEMA funding Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program
• Tree Emergency Plan Worksheet (Burban)
• Recovery
• First 24 hours
• Response to state emergency agency

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Pre-storm setup

• Create random sample
• Before emergency!
• Use electronic or manual means
• Measure tree density and size class
• Within ROW
• Also 50 back from ROW edge
• Take final steps
• Pre-Storm report form useful estimate
• Storage for future use

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Post-storm work

• Revisit sample segments
• Record for all trees within 50 of ROW
• Choose method of estimating debris (by segment)
• Indirect by average crown loss class
• 0-25, 26-50, etc.
• Historical records form basis
• Loss category images available from FS
• Direct as CY of debris
• Hazard pruning by size class
• Hazard removal by size class
• Paper or PDAs
• Enter data, report results

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Sampling protocol
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Based on random sampling

• General discussion earlier
• Storm type
• Tested for ice storms
• Low variance
• 2 sample got within 5 of true value in field
  test
• Not tested for wind storms
• Larger variance
• May affect required sample size
• Area of ongoing i-Tree research

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Estimating Engine
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Spreadsheet

• Estimator built as Excel spreadsheet
• 6 worksheets
• Home/ReadMe navigation, help
• PreStorm Data setup data
• PreStorm Analysis preliminary analysis
• PostStorm Data damage data
• PostStorm Analysis report form
• Codes, lookup tables functional elements
• Use of Excel based on user survey

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Hyperlinks for easy navigation
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Report Means
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Procedure

• Estimation
• Starts with field data
• Uses local costs
• Scales up with simple formulas
• Calculation page report
• Credibility
• Ease, speed

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Validation

• Sampling indicated on report
• Means of random sampling
• Percent of street miles sampled
• Numbers derived right on sheet
• Debris
• Pruning, removal
• Local costs shown

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These values can be adjusted by end user
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Data Collection
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Data collection

• Means
• Paper forms
• PDAs

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Paper forms
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Manual data entry

• Easiest to use Excels entry form
• Highlight top row of headers
• On menu, click
• Data ? Form
• Ignore any error message!
• Can also just start typing at cell A1

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Paper advantages

• Low cost
• No technical training
• No batteries
• Tough
• Always have backup to electronic
• Currently only way to record non-linear plots

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Paper disadvantages

• Error-prone
• Decipherment
• QA harder
• Can be slower in field
• Much slower in office

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PDAs
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Hardware

• i-Tree only supports Pocket PC operating system
• Cost
• 200-400 or more
• Making the choice
• Online
• Search PDA review
• CNET.com, PCMAG.com, etc.
• Local merchant

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Software handheld

• Installed on handheld through Start menu
• Data uploaded automatically during
  synchronization
• Details in Manual

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Software desktop

• Management of data and applications
• Simple, intuitive
• Details in Manual

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Desktop interface

• Installs with single double-click
• Requires user input
• Community name
• Street mileage
• Random selection file location
• New Interface makes this automatic
• Places field data into spreadsheet

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PDA Advantages

• Fast data collection
• Low error rate
• No data entry
• Many processes automated

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PDA Disadvantages

• Up-front equipment expense
• Training required
• Low battery life in cold
• Some PDAs have battery packs available
• Units not protected
• Plastic freezer bag often sufficient
• Waterproof cases (e.g., Otter) available

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Exercise!