ChicagoRTI.org

Integrating regional and community data into on-the-ground urban forest management

ChicagoRTI.org

Chicago’s urban forest

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Number of trees 157,142,000

Canopy cover (trees and shrubs) 21%

Most dominant trees by stem count

European buckthorn, green ash, boxelder, black cherry, American elm

Carbon storage 16.9 million tons ($349 million)

Pollution removal 24,170 tons/year ($183 million annually)

Compensatory value $51.2 billion

Chicago Region

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9.9 million people157,000,000 trees7 counties284 municipalities~ 75 park districts7 forest preserve districts70% of trees on private

property

We need more information and we need it at the community scale

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Chicago Region Trees Initiative

CRTI Data

ChicagoRTI.org

Urban forestry data

Chicago Region Trees Initiative

In a period of rapid data expansionMany cities have:

• Land cover

• Inventories

• Surface temperature

• Socioeconomic, traffic or other related data

ChicagoRTI.org

Urban forestry data

Chicago Region Trees Initiative

Which data has CRTI utilizedHow did we collect itWhat did we learn from it

ChicagoRTI.org

Urban forestry data

Chicago Region Trees Initiative

But how do you turn these data into action?

ChicagoRTI.org

Chicago Region Trees Initiative

CRTI Data Collection

ChicagoRTI.org

CRTI goals

Chicago Region Trees Initiative

Healthy, more resilient urban forestProvides ecosystem servicesProvides habitat for wildlife

ChicagoRTI.org

CRTI goals

Chicago Region Trees Initiative

Healthy, more resilient urban forestProvides ecosystem servicesProvides habitat for wildlife

ChicagoRTI.org

CRTI goals

Chicago Region Trees Initiative

Healthy, more resilient urban forestProvides ecosystem servicesProvides habitat for wildlife

ChicagoRTI.org

CRTI goals

Chicago Region Trees Initiative

Healthy, more resilient urban forestProvides ecosystem servicesProvides habitat for wildlife

ChicagoRTI.org

ChicagoRTI.org

Our Trees

CRTI forest data

ChicagoRTI.org

Remotely sourced imageryOn the ground inventories

Chicago Region Trees Initiative

Remotely sourced data

ChicagoRTI.org

Land cover mapping

Chicago Region Trees Initiative ChicagoRTI.org

Land cover mapping

Chicago regionCook

DuPageKane

KendallLake

McHenry Will0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Land cover by county

Other paved

Roads/rail

Buildings

Water

Bare soil

Vegetation

Tree canopy

County

Perc

ent l

and

cove

r

Remotely sourced data

Chicago Region Trees Initiative

Where we have/don't have treesWhere is there room for growth

By location By land use

ChicagoRTI.org

Remotely sourced data

Chicago Region Trees Initiative

What kind of trees?Are they healthy?How do we make the forest more

resilient?

ChicagoRTI.org

Chicago Region Trees Initiative

On the ground data

ChicagoRTI.org

Tree inventory data

Chicago Region Trees Initiative

CRTI works on a regional scaleAcross all land use typesSo much data

ChicagoRTI.org

Tree inventory data

Chicago Region Trees Initiative

UFORE/i-Tree dataStreet tree inventoriesPark district dataNatural areas dataUniversitiesNGO inventoriesPrivate properties

ChicagoRTI.org

Tree inventory data

Chicago Region Trees Initiative

Data standardized

• Names

• Health rankings

• Geographic systems...Entered into geodatabaseCurrently have information on ~800,000

trees!ChicagoRTI.org

Genus Percent Abundance Average DBH (in)Acer 29.56% 12.71

Fraxinus 14.58% 12.44

Gleditsia 10.46% 12.78

Tilia 6.73% 10.70

Quercus 6.46% 12.26

Ulmus 5.36% 14.40

Pyrus 3.41% 7.61

Malus 2.97% 7.66

Celtis 2.42% 10.76

Picea 2.10% 9.80

Municipal plantings

Private propertyGenus Percent Abundance Average DBH (in)Rhamnus 24.43% 2.58

Acer 17.46% 14.41

Picea 6.98% 9.91

Ulmus 5.24% 11.65

Quercus 4.72% 19.74

Fraxinus 4.10% 13.23

Malus 3.73% 7.75

Pinus 3.73% 9.50

Thuja 2.99% 4.81

Morus 2.89% 9.60

Chicago Region Trees Initiative

Our Communities

ChicagoRTI.org

Community forestry survey

Chicago Region Trees Initiative

Survey sections• Administrative and program profile

• Emerald ash borer

• Other tree disorders

• Tree planting

• Tree maintenance

• Tree removal

ChicagoRTI.org

What resource do you need to improve your forestry program?

Other community data

ChicagoRTI.org

Census

• Income, education,

minority populations

Ecosystem mapping

• Prairies, woodlands, wetlands

Flood maps

Surface temperature

Canopy

Temperature

Vulnerable populations

Impervious surfaces

Combining data

Chicago Region Trees Initiative

Data is measured in different unitsNeed to standardize data

• Use z-scores

ChicagoRTI.org

Z = (Value - average value)

standard deviation

Priority municipalities

Low canopyHigh impervious

surfacesHigh vulnerable

populationsHigh surface

temperature

Priority plantings

Chicago Region Trees Initiative

Layers vary by stakeholder and areaNeed to communicate with stakeholders

to make priority maps that are relevant

ChicagoRTI.org

How can we use this data?

Chicago Region Trees Initiative

Define our workPrioritize actionWe can make goals to shape our future

ChicagoRTI.org

Regional Goals – Local Implementation

Chicago Region Trees Initiative

Meet with a variety of stakeholders – public and private• Municipalities

• County planners

• Businesses

• NGOs

• Utilities

• Residents

• Professionals

• Forest preservesChicagoRTI.org

Priority municipality – Franklin Park

Franklin Park

Village of Franklin Park• 18,333 population• 477 square miles• $55,000 median income• 12% of population below poverty level• 18.9% younger than 18• 7.2% older than 65

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Engagement

Chicago Region Trees Initiative

Meet with elected officialsMeet with forestry staffMeet with volunteers or interested

residents

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Chicago Region Trees Initiative ChicagoRTI.org

Present the Data

Chicago Region Trees Initiative ChicagoRTI.org

Management plan

Arborist on staff?

Inventory

Franklin Park

Genus Percent abundanceMaples 42.7%Ash 19.2%Honeylocust 12.0%

Franklin Park

0 to 56 to 10

11 to 1516 to 20

21 to 2526 to 30

31 to 3536 to 40

41 or more

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

Tree size distribution

Size class

Freq

uenc

y

Identify needs and where THEY are ready to start

Chicago Region Trees Initiative

Where Trees Are Needed

ChicagoRTI.org

Identify needs and where THEY are ready to start

Chicago Region Trees Initiative

Expanded Diversity & Contract Growing

ChicagoRTI.org

Identify needs and where THEY are ready to start

Chicago Region Trees Initiative

Urban Forest Management Plan

ChicagoRTI.org

Identify needs and where THEY are ready to start

Chicago Region Trees Initiative

Tree Preservation Ordinances

Bronze

Silver

Gold

ChicagoRTI.org

Identify needs and where THEY are ready to start

Chicago Region Trees Initiative

Stewardship Program

ChicagoRTI.org

Identify needs and where THEY are ready to start

Chicago Region Trees Initiative

Urban Forestry Basic Training

ChicagoRTI.org

Identify needs and where THEY are ready to start

Chicago Region Trees Initiative

Community Tree Network

ChicagoRTI.org

Chicago Region Trees Initiative

Lydia Scott, Director Lindsay Darling, Data Analystlscott@mortonarb.org LEDarlingGIS@gmail.com

ChicagoRTI.org