Community Street Tree Inventory

David Cappaert, Michigan State University, bugwood.org • Community Street Tree Inventory

With the Emerald Ash Borer at your doorstep: How many ash trees does your community have? What condition are they in? Where are they? Conduct an Inventory

Inventory A Street Tree Inventory is a census – a count – of all publicly managed trees Inventory Options • All public trees (trees in right-of-ways (streets), on public property, in parks, etc.) • Only public ash trees • Include private ash trees • Or , private ash trees that impact community spaces

Why do a street tree inventory? • To know current state of publicly managed community trees • Identify where to focus limited resources • Improve long termmanagement and health to maximize forest benefits • Quantify the economic and environmental benefits of the urban forest resource • To beautify the community and contribute to community identity

Results of an Inventory • Tree specific data: species, location, and condition This can be used to develop management priorities, such as: • Determine which trees need to be removed immediately • Determine if some ash trees are suitable to be treated with insecticides • Identify if some neighborhoods/streets will be affected more by EAB.

Results of Inventory 2) Secondary Data Calculations: Economic and Environmental Benefits Calculated through i-Tree (optional) This information can be used to demonstrate the impact of EAB on your community. • Stormwater Runoff Captured • Energy Savings • Aesthetic Value, Increased Property Values • Air Pollution Reduction

Data collected in an inventory • Species • Diameter • Condition* • Location • Available planting spaces • Management recommendation for each tree* * If using volunteers to conduct the inventory, risk evaluation and management recommendations should be made by professionals.

Who conducts the inventory? • Staff Urban Forester • Or horticulture/forestry professionals on staff • Hire a consulting arborist or consulting municipal forester/company • Hire SWAT team from Cornell, for smaller communities, neighborhoods. • Work with volunteers and community groups

Data Collection Systems • Free software is available: • i-Tree Suite • Developed by the USDA Forest Service and many partners. • http://www.itreetools.org • Use paper inventory sheets • i-Tree data fields • Create your own

Conducting an Inventory Two Levels: • Walking survey: collect complete details on each tree • Windshield/Driving survey: collect only basic data. Recommendation: walking survey. When prompt management action is needed, complete data is crucial.

The Volunteer Inventory Process • Recruit willing volunteers • Familiarize yourself with i-Tree Streets or your inventory data collection process • Train Volunteers • Indoor Overview (like this presentation) • Outdoor/Hands-On Skill Training • Process Data • Collect data sheets/download PDAs • Run through i-Tree Tools

Physical tools For each two person crew: • Hand held computer or data sheets • Diameter tape • GPS* • Map of community with right-of-way marked • Identifying clothes* • Brochures for dissemination* *optional

How An Inventory Is Done Each tree is visited and data is entered into PDAs or on Paper

Data Collected First- Species of the tree

Data Collected Diameter of the tree at Breast Height –4 ½ Feet aka DBH

Data Collected Location Information: Street Address and/or GPS

Data Collected Planting Spaces and Site Location Types

Data Collected Utility Wire Conflicts (Single and Triple Phase)

Data Collected Condition of Wood and Leaves Dead – Poor – Fair – Good

Data Collected Maintenance Recommendations None – Train – Routine Prune – High Priority Prune

Data Collected Consult Needed Designation (Tree should be inspected by a certified arborist )

You can’t manage what you don’t know!

Compilation Once all the data has been collected and reviewed it can be run though i-Tree, or summarized on a spreadsheet. Now you can look at the make-up of your trees, their location, and their condition and begin to make decisions.

Data Analysis Species and Genus Distribution Is there sufficient diversity to provide resilience to an invasive pest or disease? 30-20-10 rule No more than: 30% from one Family 20% from one Genus 10% from one Species

Data Analysis Diameter Profile Are enough young trees being planted to compensate for the loss of older trees? Sufficient young trees Not enough young trees

Data Analysis Tree Condition What is the general condition of the street tree population?

Data Analysis Tree Maintenance Are particular species responsible for most maintenance needs and concerns?

Additional Data Analysis- Tree Benefits i-Tree software quantifiesthe environmental and social benefits The economic value of your trees is a useful tool for garnering support for your urban forest. And, it’s free. http://www.itreetools.org

Annual Benefits of an Urban Forest Tall growing tree species (like ash) provide most environmental and social benefits

Typical Deliverables Inventory Report Report of Data Analysis and Management Recommendations

Typical Deliverables Excel file of inventory data

Typical Deliverables GIS shapefiles of tree locations …

Typical Deliverables … and planting spaces

Ash Tree Mapping GIS Maps can be customized to show ash tree locations, locations of high risk trees, or other features. Ash trees are highlighted on this map

Ash Specific Data Once you have this information, ash tree inventory data can be used to make management decisions. • Identify which ash trees: • Should be immediately removed: consult needed, poor condition, etc. • Are good candidates for EAB insecticidetreatments • Are owned or managed by an entity other than your community (utility company, adjacent property owner) All this should go in your EAB Community Preparedness Plan

Who to go to for help? Collecting and processing inventory data can be daunting, but there are people who can help with training and data analysis. • CCE Staff • Consulting Arborists/ Municipal Foresters • Foresters (public and private) • NRCS or Soil and Water Conservation District Staff, • Emerald Ash Borer Task Forces and their Members

EAB Task Forces EAB Task Forces are groups from a larger community or region that come together to share knowledge, skills, and tools and discuss the state of EAB in their community. There may be planners, community foresters, horticulture or forestry professionals, landscapers and community volunteers on these committee. Contact yours to see if they can help.

Inventories Provide a Valuable Community Service

… And they’re fun!

Credits NYS EAB Web Site: http://nyis.info/eab • Presentation prepared by • Rebecca Hargrave, Horticulture and Natural Resources Extension Educator, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chenango County, jrh45@cornell.edu • Fred Cowett, Ph.D. candidate, Cornell University, Department of Horticulture- Picture and Map Credit • Mark Whitmore, Forest Entomologist with Cornell University Department of Natural Resources mcw42@cornell.edu • Funded by USDA/APHIS andCornell University Feb. 1, 2012

Community Street Tree Inventory