American Forests is the nations oldest citizens conservation organization established 1875

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Who is American Forests?
American Forests is the nations oldest citizens
conservation organization established 1875
A Non-profit Forest Conservation business
Our mission to grow a healthier world with trees
Our vision healthy ecosystems for every community
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American Forests Conservation Challenge 21st
Century

• Reconnect People to Nature

• Establish Trees and Forests as Natural Capital

• Calculate Ecosystem Services from green
  infrastructure

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Definitions

• Urban Ecosystem Analysis Process
• CITYgreen desktop GIS software
• Trees Vegetation Green Infrastructure
• Green Infrastructure Natural Capital
• Natural Capital Produces Ecosystem Services
• Ecosystem Services Budget Dollars
• Urban Surfaces Gray Infrastructure

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Urban Ecosystem Analysis

• Computer Based Technology
• Image Analysis to Describe Land Cover
  (Structure)
• Science Engineering to Understand Functions
• GIS to Calculate Structure/Function
  Relationships
• Use Economic Values to Describe Ecological Work

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• Central Carolina Piedmont Green
• Urban Ecosystem Analysis of 15 Counties
• Documents Change in Land Cover in 1984 2003
• Measures Effects of Land Cover on Air and Water
• Demonstrates the dollar value of tree cover
• Maps and Reports of all Counties and Most Towns
  at www.americanforests.org/resources/urbanecosyst
  emanalysis
• Contact Rick Roti for Next Steps

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• Mapping Change in Land Cover
• Landsat Satellite Image (30 meter pixel)
• Two Lansat scenes compared for change
• Land Cover Classification
• Change in Land Cover 1984 to 2003
• Location I77 West of Lake Norman

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Models in CITYgreen
Mecklenburg Countys Changing Land Cover
Landsat 1984
Landsat 2003

• Water Quality
• Long-Term Hydrologic Impact Assessment (L-THIA)
  Model
• Developed by University of Purdue
• CITYgreen ties pollutant loading to curve number
• Reports increase in contaminant loading if the
  trees are removed.

Green Down 35 Gray Up 184
Open Space Trees Urban Water
Open Space Trees Urban Water
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Ecosystem Services Calculation Method

• Measure Urban Forests as Urban Ecosystems

• Use Geographic Information Systems

The right analytic tool for Calculating Ecosystem
Services Same GIS system used by local agencies

• Image Analysis (Classification)

Database for green infrastructure
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Urban Ecosystem Analysis Model
Land Structure Ecological Analysis Model
Decision Support Material
Air Pollution
Bottom Line
Rainfall
Landcover
Soils
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Urban Forest as Green Infrastructure

• High Resolution Satellite Imagery
• Multispectral
• Raster Analysis

Land Cover

• Green Infrastructure

• Measurable Air and Water Value
• Science and Engineering Measures

• Community Asset/ Natural Capital
• Ecosystem services converted to dollars

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Trees are indicators of environmental quality
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Ecological Models Used Are Products of
Established Science and Research
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CITYgreen calculations
Water Quantity (Stormwater Management) TR- 55
Hydraulic Engineering Calculation
Water Quality (EPA Phase II Requirements) L-THA
Water Quality Calculation
Air Quality (EPA SIP Requirements) UFORE Air
Quality Calculation
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Water (Stormwater) Calculations
(Function)

• Natural Resource Conservation Service
  Assistance
• TR-55 Stormwater Model
• Model Imbedded Into CITYgreen Software
• Hydraulic Engineering Solution

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(Function)
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• Air Quality (Function)
• Urban Effects Model called UFORE
• Developed by the US Forest Service
• Measured Effects from 55 urban areas

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Land Cover Classification (Structure)
Urban 80 impervious Vegetation over 6 ft. cover 80 Open Space
Natural or Planted grass, crops or bare
ground Water Visible water
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• Next Step
• Obtain High Resolution Imagery
• (3 meter or better pixel size) with Leaves on
  the Trees
• Classified land cover
• Use CITYgreen software to analyze areas of
  interest
• Use findings for decision support
• High Resolution Imagery Examples
• Raw image
• Classified image

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