Sustainable Streets for Healthier Cities

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• Sustainable Streets for Healthier Cities
• Greg McPherson
• U.S. Forest Service

Center for Urban Forest Research
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A Vision

• Crowning Jewel

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Trees. Vital to Human Health.

• Tree-filled neighborhoods
• Lower levels of domestic violence
• Are safer and more sociable
• Tree-filled landscapes reduce stress
• Trees decrease need for medication and speed
  recovery times

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Trees Mean Better Business

• In tree-lined commercial districts...
• More frequent shopping
• Longer shopping trips
• Shoppers spend more for parking
• Shoppers spend 12 more for goods

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Trees Improve Pavement Performance

• More shade means more time between repaving.
• 20 shade improves pavement condition by 11.
  60 savings for resurfacing in 30 years

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Tree Benefits Increase w/ Age Red Oak
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Size Longevity Matter

• CO2 after 60 years
• Crape myrtle
• 150 kg
• Hackberry
• 3,500 kg

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Tree Species Matters

• Crown density
• Complexity
• Surface features
• Foliation period

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Space Matters
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Urban Advantage
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Urban Advantage
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Green Infrastructure BioTechnology

• Engineered soil permits tree growth and reduces
  runoff

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Green Infrastructure BioTechnology
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Green Infrastructure BioTechnology
Trees Solar powered green machines
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Engineered Soil
Carolina Stalite soil (CS)
Davis soil
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UCD Parking Lot
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Parking Lot Measurements

• Runoff quantity
• Water quality
• Surface runoff
• Subsurface moisture
• Tree growth

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Space in Our Minds Hearts
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Challenges

• Safety
• Visibility
• Lighting
• Crashes
• Other Infrastructure
• Roots, hardscape, sewers
• Leaves and litter
• Powerlines
• Irrigation and subbase
• Crows
• Other Environmental
• Diversity and Invasive Species
• BVOCs, allergens
• Runoff water quality
• Solar access
• Water conservation
• Solid waste

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Opportunity

• Urban forestry in spotlight
• Carbon and air quality investments
• utilities, cities, corporations
• How best design plantings to maximize effect
  minimize conflicts?
• Regulatory quality data on performance?
• Installation
• Survival
• Growth
• Performance

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Questions? www.fs.fed.us/psw/programs/cufr