Transcript Part II
Desktop Analysis Used To: • Identify areas that meet certain criteria (e.g. contig forest 50 acres+, id gaps as well, or set lower value in urban area) • Identify representative sample points • Select tracts to assess typically three representative points with at least two points per 100 acres. Possible UTC areas in Baltimore DNR, 2006 http://intranet.lternet.edu/archives/documents/other/balttreereport.pdf Step 2. Field Assessment Potential field assessments include: • Neighborhood assessment • Institutional assessment • Upland contiguous forest assessment • Street tree survey Neighborhood Assessment (NSA) Assess neighborhood restoration opportunities Street tree potential Existing street trees Institutional Site Assessment Upland Contiguous Forest Assessment/ Forest Tract Assessment Developed by CWP to: Collect data at a minimum of two random, representative points Assess the forest structure and quality to determine its conservation or restoration status Upland Contiguous Forest Assessment For each tract, evaluate the following information: Size and radius (need 300 feet to create interior forest) Complexity (species composition, vertical structure) Age (maturity, size) Disruptions (e.g., deer browsing, overuse of forest, clearing, timber harvesting, some species are stressed, etc.) Invasive species present (often dominate edges) Presence of steep slopes, RTE species, wetlands Individual Tree Inventory Evaluation of individual street or park trees: Size, location Health Species Constraints Examples: USDA Forest Service www.umass.edu/urbantree ACRT Davey Tree Summary http://www.isa-arbor.com/publications/arbNews/pdfs/Aug06-feature.pdf Step 3. Prioritization • What goal are you trying to achieve? - Protect contiguous forest or remaining forest patches - Increase the urban tree canopy (UTC) • How is that goal best achieved? - Purchase of development rights, acquisition, better management - Target key neighborhoods, schools or other institutions for tree canopy increases Table B-1. Example Scoring Parameters for Forest Area Ranking Parameter Scoring Categories*(points) Measure (10-8) (7-4) (3-0) Environmental significance Environmental importance of the area for maintaining biological diversity. Evaluates the presence of RTE species, mature contiguous forest, heron rookeries Many of these areas; high quality (12-15) Some of these areas (7-11) Few of these areas; or of lower quality (<7) Development pressure Potential for development based on zoning, location (PDA, transportation corridor), ownership, and/or local comprehensive plan. Very recent development or expected in the near future future development possible not likely Protective district Whether the area is included within some special protection district (river overlay, critical area, conservation easement, etc) no current protection; disturbance likely partially protected; potential for disturbance sufficient protection; disturbance unlikely RTE species Presence of RTE species confirmed sightings or historic record high potential due to presence of habitat low potential Invasive species potential Potential for invasive species to colonize due to extensive disturbance no invasives invasive encroachment likely invasives present Land ownership/ cost Ease of protection based on ownership owned by county, land trust, or public institution private ownership in relatively large tracts private ownership slated for development * Environmental significance is an overall general ranking and is on a 0-15 point scale, remaining parameters on 10pt scale Table B-2. Example Conservation Area Priority Scoring Ran k ID Environmenta l significance Developmen t pressure Protection RTE Invasive species potential Land ownership Total Score 1 C2 18 7 9 9 8 7 58 2 C3 15 7 7 8 7 7 51 3 C1 14 7 6 8 8 7 50 Powhatan Creek Priority Conservation Areas 5 1 Tools for Conserving and Enhancing Forests • Conservation Easements • Forest conservation and tree protection regulations • Land acquisition • Purchase or transfer of development rights • Shading and canopy requirements • Urban forestry management plans Summary • Plenty of ecological and health reasons to protect and increase tree cover • Get out and survey your community • Prioritize sites • Start protecting and planting trees!