Introduction to i-Tree suite of software with expanded additional slides on i-Tree Eco & Hydro. Main focus is on introducing new tools Design, Landscape, Canopy, and MyTree.

1. i-Tree Introduction
Georgia Urban Forestry Council
June 27, 2018
www.itreetools.org
i-Tree is a
Cooperative
Initiative

2. Where is the urban forest?

3. Urban Tree Canopy
100%
0%

4. Structure
Function
Value
Management
Needs

5. Public Domain
Software
Based on peer-
reviewed
research
Technical
support
Continuously
improved
i-Tree…
“Putting USFS Urban Forest science into the hands of users”
www.itreetools.org

6. Structure Function Benefits Value
….state, county, region, watershed, neighborhood,
home, etc.

7. Landscape
The 2017 i-Tree Suite of Tools
Web-based,
run in your
browser
Installed on a
Windows
desktop or
laptop
MyTree Planting
i-Tree Vision
To improve forest and human health, and forest and city resiliency through easy-to-use
technology that engages people globally in enhancing forest management.

8. Growth, Mortality,
& Influx Rates
Tree Cover Maps
Landscape Change
Climate Change
Parcel-based
analysis
LocalSCALERegional
Design
Landscape
Eco
“All Lands” approach, to
natural resource stewardship
i-Tree Vision
To improve forest
and human health,
and forest and city
resiliency through
easy-to-use
technology that
engages people
globally in
enhancing forest
management.

10. What are the benefit$ of trees?
Carbon
sequestration
Oxygen
Erosion Control
Aesthetics
Energy
Conservation
Storm Water
Interception
Pollution Control
Quality of Life

12. i-Tree Tool User maps

13. Tree Benefit: Stormwater reduction
Intercepts and holds
rain on leaves,
branches, and other
surfaces
Reduces stormwater
runoff
Increases water
storage in soil
Reduces erosion

14. Tree Benefit: Improve air quality
Absorb pollutants
through leaf surfaces
 O3 (ozone)
 NO2 (nitrogen dioxide)
 SO2 (sulfur dioxide)
Intercept dust and/or
particulate matter (PM10
and PM2.5)
Reduction in energy
production needs
reduces creation of
many pollutants
Release oxygen

15. Tree Benefit: Reduce Carbon Dioxide
CO2
Trees are largely made of
carbon so they take
carbon out of the air and
turn it into tissue (bark,
leaves, wood, etc.)
Tree reduce home energy
needs and help avoid
carbon released from
power plants in the first
place (Secondary benefit
or avoided)

16. Tree Benefit: Energy Effects
Trees shade buildings
and built surfaces
(summer)
Act as a wind break
reducing heat loss in
(winter)
Trees cool the air – (climate effect)
Reduce energy demand at power generation source (Secondary
benefit or avoided negative impacts)

17. Tree
Benefits
Public
Health
Energy
Conservation
Outreach &
Education
Pest & disease
risk analysis
Community
Sustainability
Policy Formation
& Evaluation
Economic
Development
Stormwater
Management Climate
Adaptation
Green
Infrastructure
Air quality
improvement
Numerous opportunities…

18. i-Tree: Demonstrating Tree Value
Structure Function Values

19. Columbia, MO – Radio Ad

20. Atlanta, GA - TreeKeeper
https://atlantaga.treekeepersoftware.com/

21. Atlanta, GA - TreeKeeper
https://atlantaga.treekeepersoftware.com/

22. Atlanta, GA - TreeKeeper
https://atlantaga.treekeepersoftware.com/

23. Future Program Integration
i-Tree will provide management guides
that:
Detail local risks to forests and humans (air
and water quality, UV radiation, insects and
diseases, air temperatures, climate change...)
Determine best locations to plant or protect
trees
Provide species and location recommendations
to improve forest and human health
Recommend planting rates to sustain forest
cover at desired level

24. Thanks
Josh Behounek
Josh.Behounek@davey.com
573-673-7530
@treesrtheanswr

25. Harbor Brook Creek Watershed
Models effects of:
Tree cover
Impervious cover
on:
Stream flow
Water quality
i-Tree Hydro

27. Stream Flow Modeling

28. Hydro Pollutant Reporting

29. i-Tree Eco

30. i-Tree is a
Cooperative
Initiative among
these partners
What is i-Tree Eco?
• Field-based assessment
requiring inventory data
• Flagship software based on
latest science & local data
• Originally developed for
assessing whole urban
forest
• Adapted for individual tree
assessments
• Internationally functional

31. i-Tree is a
Cooperative
Initiative among
these partners
i-Tree Eco Assess:
 Structure
 Function
• Energy effects
• Air quality
• Carbon
• Avoided runoff
• Human health impacts
• VOCs
 Value ($)
 Management info
• Pest risk
• Tree health
• Exotic/invasive spp.

32. i-Tree is a
Cooperative
Initiative among
these partners
Providence i-Tree Eco Summary

33. i-Tree is a
Cooperative
Initiative among
these partners
Eco Highlights…
• Simplified & new data
collection options
• Forecasting
capabilities
• Multiple years of
hourly pollution &
weather data now
available

34. i-Tree is a
Cooperative
Initiative among
these partners
Eco Highlights…
• New user interface
design
• Updated and
expanded reporting
options
• Desktop processing
for USA, AUS, CAN &
UK projects

35. i-Tree is a
Cooperative
Initiative among
these partners
Who is using Eco?
• Governments – Kansas City,
Pittsburg, Plano
• Non-Profits- SacTree, Casey Tree,
Morton Arboretum, Forterra
• Universities & campuses
• Graduate student research
• International users
• Consultants
• Increasing interest from
ecological restoration &
parks

36. i-Tree is a
Cooperative
Initiative among
these partners
i-Tree Eco projects in the U.S. & abroad

37. i-Tree is a
Cooperative
Initiative among
these partners
The Basic Science
• Measured variables to
estimate foliage volume and
wood volume
• Estimate tree leaf area using
species specific equations
• Estimate benefits largely
based on leaf area
interactions with local
weather and air pollution
• Summarize structure,
function, value
Tree
height
Crown width
Crown
base
Tree
DBH
www.itreetools.org/resources/archives.php

38. i-Tree is a
Cooperative
Initiative among
these partners
i-Tree Eco Model Schematic
Field
Data
Location DB
(City info)
Species DB
(6,400+ spp.)
Hourly
Pollution
Data
Hourly
Weather
Data
Air Quality
www.itreetools.org/resources/archives.php
Carbon
Avoided Runoff
Energy Effects
Valuation
Structure
Forecast

39. i-Tree is a
Cooperative
Initiative among
these partners
Eco “Classic” Tree Data Variables
1. Tree species
2. Diameter at breast height DBH
3. Total tree height
4. Height to live top
5. Height to crown base
6. Crown width (N-S & E-W)
7. % Crown missing
8. Condition (% dieback)
9. Crown light exposure
10. Direction to building
11. Distance to building
12. Land use

40. i-Tree is a
Cooperative
Initiative among
these partners
Carbon
Storage & Seq.
Species
DBH
Total Height
Crown Light
Exposure
% Dieback
(Condition)
Pollution
Species
Live Top
height
Crown base
height
Crown width
% Crown
missing
Avoided
Runoff
Species
Live Top
height
Crown base
height
Crown width
% Crown
missing
Energy Effects
Species
Total Height
Dist. & Dir.
to building
Structural
Value
Species
DBH
Land use
% Dieback
(Condition)
Forecast
Species
DBH
Crown Light
Exposure
% Dieback
(Condition)
Eco Model Routines and Data Associations

41. i-Tree is a
Cooperative
Initiative among
these partners
Eco Project Considerations
Project Design & Planning
• Consider objectives &
resources
• Consider standard &
optional metrics
• Consider & define area of
interest
 Scale
 Vegetation
 Access

42. i-Tree is a
Cooperative
Initiative among
these partners
Select Inventory Method
• Complete inventory (parks,
campuses, street trees)
• Random sample plots
(recommend 200, 1/10th acre
for urban areas)
• Stratification options (sample
& inventories)
Eco Project Considerations

43. i-Tree is a
Cooperative
Initiative among
these partners
Eco Data Collection
• Web-enabled mobile
device, PDA or paper
• Measure required &
optional variables
• Run data in model to obtain
results
Eco sample plot
data link
Eco inventory
data link
Server
http://goo.gl/nMzjw0 http://goo.gl/lSzU2E

44. i-Tree is a
Cooperative
Initiative among
these partners
Project Management Considerations
• Assign a project manager &
train data collectors
• May need permission to
access private property
• Difficult in more natural areas
(> 1 day per plot)
• Travel between plots and
locating plots can be time
consuming

45. i-Tree is a
Cooperative
Initiative among
these partners
i-Tree Eco Interface

46. i-Tree is a
Cooperative
Initiative among
these partners
i-Tree Eco: Reports
What’s new?
• All results available for complete inventories
• Including “written report”
• New reports including the best outputs from
i-Tree streets
• Size class distribution graphs
• Cost benefit analysis
• Maintenance and user defined data categories
• Enhanced individual tree reporting

47. i-Tree is a
Cooperative
Initiative among
these partners
Complete Inventory Reporting
Additional reports support inventory
projects of all sizes
• Full street tree inventories
• Corporate campuses
• Parks
• Individual properties
Forest structure
reports from older
Eco

48. i-Tree is a
Cooperative
Initiative among
these partners
New reports

49. i-Tree is a
Cooperative
Initiative among
these partners
Individual tree reporting
Structure and benefits of any tree you measured
• Report benefits of a single tree
• With GPS data map benefit locations
• Find tree providing the greatest benefits

50. i-Tree is a
Cooperative
Initiative among
these partners
i-Tree Forecast - What is it?
• A new module within i-Tree Eco
• Project tree growth over time
• Include population modeling
• User guided planting and mortality
• Projects changes in selected tree benefits

51. i-Tree is a
Cooperative
Initiative among
these partners
Forecasting: How it works
DBH
growth
• Current DBH and Height
• Frost free days
• Crown light exposure
• Dieback
• Species specific
Crown
estimates
• Based on new DBH
• Includes impacts of competition
• Species specific
Leaf area
& benefits
• Includes impacts of competition
• Carbon storage based tree size
• Pollution removal based on leaf
area
Death and
Planting
• Apply user defined mortality
• Add user defined plantings
• Apply in specified years
• Adjust density

52. i-Tree is a
Cooperative
Initiative among
these partners
Forecasting: Basic Options
• Set-up forecast duration, 1-
100 years
• Estimate days of the year
without frost (localized
defaults provided)
• Set up base/background
mortality rates for different
tree conditions
• These options impact all
trees

53. i-Tree is a
Cooperative
Initiative among
these partners
Forecasting: Customize annual mortality
Specify mortality rates for a
• genus
• health category
• user-defined stratum

54. i-Tree is a
Cooperative
Initiative among
these partners
Forecasting: Customize tree planting
Plant trees in existing proportions
• Apply to whole study area or a
single stratum
• Define start and end dates

55. i-Tree is a
Cooperative
Initiative among
these partners
Forecasting: Pest Outbreaks
• Preloaded with 36 common
pests
• All host species impacted
• Flexible start and end
• Flexible mortality rates

56. i-Tree is a
Cooperative
Initiative among
these partners
Forecasting: Extreme weather
• Default storm categories
provided
• All trees impacted
• Mortality and year of
occurrence are flexible
• Repeat storms possible, e.g. 5
year storm events

57. i-Tree is a
Cooperative
Initiative among
these partners
Forecasting Results: Change in structure

58. i-Tree is a
Cooperative
Initiative among
these partners
Forecasting Results: Change in benefits

59. Health Effects O3 NO2 SO2 PM2.5
Acute Bronchitis √
Acute Myocardial Infarction √
Acute Respiratory Symptoms √ √ √ √
Asthma Exacerbation √ √ √
Chronic Bronchitis √
Emergency Room Visits √ √ √ √
Hospital Admissions √ √ √ √
Lower Respiratory Symptoms √
Mortality √ √
School Loss Days √
Upper Respiratory Symptoms √
Work Loss Days √
Human Health Impacts and Values
• Link to EPA’s Environmental Benefits Mapping and
Analysis program (BenMAP)
• Estimates health impacts and values due to tree
effects on air quality via pollution removal

60. Incidence Reduction/yr. Value ($/yr.)
Acute Bronchitis 4.5 $398
Acute Myocardial Infarction 1.4 $129,347
Acute Respiratory Symptoms 2,931 $287,280
Asthma Exacerbation 1,919 $156,020
Chronic Bronchitis 2.4 $681,773
Emergency Room Visits 8 $3,326
Hospital Admissions, Cardiovascular 1.2 $46,150
Hospital Admissions, Respiratory 0.7 $22,684
Lower Respiratory Symptoms 55.7 $2,892
Mortality 7.6 $58,708,876
Upper Respiratory Symptoms 45 $2,019
Work Loss Days 504 $92,089
Total na $60,132,856
Human Health Impacts – PM2.5 removal
New York City

61. i-Tree is a
Cooperative
Initiative among
these partners
Potential Applications
 Model different scenarios
• Species mixes
• Climate change impacts
• Size/type of planting stock
 Planting
• How many trees will you need to plant to maintain current
stocking, offset known losses, achieve canopy goals
 Maintenance
• What benefits will be lost if lack of maintenance leads to
higher mortality
 Lots of flexibility

62. Assessing Street Tree Populations
i-Tree Streets:
Structure
Function
Energy
Air pollution
Stormwater
Carbon
Aesthetic Value
$ Values
Cost Benefit Analysis
Management needs

64. Total Costs
St. Louis spends an average of $46.92 per street
tree and approximately $9.98 per capita.

65. Total Annual Benefits

66. Relative Performance Index
Species
Dead/Dying Poor Fair Good RPI
# of Trees
Total
% of Total
Populat
ion
green ash 0.5 3.5 12.7 83.2 1.00 11,545 15.6
pin oak 0.5 1.3 8.9 89.2 1.03 7,532 10.2
silver maple 0.3 5.8 36.1 57.8 0.90 6,434 8.7
red maple 1.2 1.7 9.5 87.6 1.02 6,105 8.2
sycamore 0.4 3.5 14.7 81.5 1.00 5,809 7.8
sugar maple 1.2 1.8 9.3 87.7 1.02 5,442 7.4
callery pear 'Bradford' 0.5 2.4 17.4 79.7 0.99 4,739 6.4
thornless honeylocust 0.6 1.6 12.5 85.3 1.02 3,771 5.1
white ash 0.6 1.8 6.8 90.8 1.03 3,441 4.6
sweetgum 0.4 1.4 9.1 89.1 1.03 2,684 3.6
redbud 1.6 3.8 16.1 78.6 0.98 2,311 3.1
littleleaf linden 0.6 2.2 11.7 85.5 1.01 1,849 2.5
American basswood 0.6 1.4 12.5 85.5 1.02 1,627 2.2
Norway maple 1.2 3.3 10.4 85.2 1.00 1,290 1.7
apple 0.5 3.4 15.2 81.0 0.99 1,278 1.7
ginkgo 0.5 1.8 6.5 91.2 1.04 832 1.1
callery pear 'Aristocrat' 0.0 1.7 10.3 88.0 1.03 785 1.1
City-wide total 0.7 2.8 13.9 82.5 1.00 74,013 100.0

67. Emerald Ash Borer?
>18%
Benefits
($816,525)
• Over 74,000 Street Trees (20% Ash)

68. Net Benefits