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Assessing Street Tree Populations with iTree Tools

Assessing Street Tree Populations with iTree Tools. STRATUM prior to data collection . Goals / Setting expectations Data fields to support goals Resources Conducting inventory Paid staff? Contractors? Volunteers? Technology Sampling

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Assessing Street Tree Populations with iTree Tools

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  1. Assessing Street Tree Populations with iTree Tools

  2. STRATUM prior to data collection • Goals / Setting expectations • Data fields to support goals • Resources • Conducting inventory • Paid staff? • Contractors? • Volunteers? • Technology • Sampling • How much GIS savvy and software/hardware is necessary? • Interaction between GIS and iTree software • Using the random plot generator

  3. Know the client and client’s needs • Identify the client • Identify the assignment • STRATUM has a LOT of reporting options; providing all may not be helpful • What does the client want to know? • What else did you find out that may be of interest or value?

  4. Know the client and client’s needs • Examples of clients and needs • Client: Mayor • Assignment: Quantification of ecosystem services • Client: City forestry department • Assignment: Report on present tree condition and maintenance needs • Client: NGO • Assignment: Report on stocking levels and enhancement opportunities for planting projects • What you report on should be based on your client and their needs (!)

  5. Data needs • Existing data? • Run on-hand data through STRATUM • Sample inventory to be collected? • Full inventory to be collected? • Define species list • Full list is very long; you will save time of you truncate to expected species

  6. Custom configuration

  7. Custom configuration • Customize existing data collection tools • Create new (Add Other 1, 2, 3 question)

  8. Process issues • Will data be collected on PDAs or paper? • Is there any stratification (management zones)? • NOTE: You cannot stratify random sample by management zones; you can sub-sample each management zone or post-stratify in to management zones

  9. Costs and benefits • Benefits data comes pre-loaded • Local info is available from source such as http://www.psc.state.md.us/psc/gas/gasCommodity.htm • Program costs may be obtained from local managers

  10. Logistics • Who will conduct? • Contractors • Spec it right and let ‘em run • Volunteers • Stay tuned for next talk • Paid staff • Most control if it is a luxury you can afford • Go to assignment; is buy-in (community volunteers) an objective)?

  11. Logistics (cont.) • Are you a local? • Likely for volunteers • You will know where to park, where it is safe, etc. • Are you not local? • Likely for contractors and possibly for paid staff • Will need to know where to park, does it cost, how much… • Will need to address safety concerns in your protocols

  12. Tools • Biltmore • Quick DBH; safety measure • If ecollect • PDA • Extra styli! They are easy to drop • GPS • If hard copy collect • Paper • Pencil

  13. Notification • Regardless of who performs, recommend that you carry some form of identification associated with your project • Carrying a “this is who we are, what we are doing, and why” letter for distribution to curious citizens is recommended

  14. Tech savvy • How much do you need? • Probably impossible to do with none • Difficult to do with some • If you have a lot (GIS, GPS, Access, Excel), you can get a great deal of flexibility and do more than the “standard issue”

  15. Do you need GPS? • NO • iTREE does not presently have a GPS component • There is a spatial component that is not required, but lat-long must be entered manually • Specific locations would likely provide little value

  16. Is there a benefit to GPS? • Yes • I used to track pending and completed segments in the field.

  17. Using the random plot generator • Install the random plot generator per the iTREE manual • You will end up with a “Random Select Roads” tool on your toolbar

  18. Sample size – how big? • Sample inventories are generally a 3-6% sample of total street segments • General guidelines for sample sizes in communities based on human populations: • For communities with less than 50,000 persons, sample size is 6% of total street miles • For communities between 50,000 and 150,000 persons, sample size is 5% • For communities between 150,000 to 250,000 persons, sample size is 4% • For communities over 250,000 persons, sample size is 3%

  19. Use in field

  20. STRATUM prior to data collection Maryland Department of Natural Resources

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