Your Urban Forest
Creating a Tree Census in Your Community
DATA SHEET
*As you explore your school yard, collect data on 4-5 trees in your plot. When choosing your trees try to choose trees with a DBH greater than 3 inches. This would mean the tree’s circumference would be ~greater than 9 inches. Therefore you will want to take the DBH measurement first. Scientists completing the Tree Census collected the DBH as well as a number of other data points. Consider collecting the “optional observations in order to get a “whole picture” of the trees in your school yard. You never know how your observations will help to answer questions or lead to interesting observations concerning the trees in your community.
Group Members Names:
Plot # and Description(Mark on your School Yard Map or describe the location in the box below) / Tree Species
(Use Tree Finder or Tree id information to determine each species) / Calculate the DBH
(Diameter at Breast Height- (taken at approx. 4.5 feet above ground)Use Tape Measure to measure circumference and then calculate the DBH) / OPTIONAL:
Other Observations (Estimated Distance to closest building etc.)
1
Is the plot:
Sunny?
Shady?
Partial Sun and Shade?
(Circle one) / Species:
Leaf Drawing:
Bark Description: / Circumference at Breast Height :
______inches
Calculate the Diameter- Formula is:
Circumference /
Diameter at Breast Height (DBH):
______inches / Estimated distance to closest man-made structure (building, road, sidewalk etc):
______feet
Other Observations: (Does the tree look healthy to you? Why or why not?)
2
Is the plot:
Sunny?
Shady?
Partial Sun and Shade?
(Circle one) / Species:
Leaf Drawing:
Bark Description: / Circumference at Breast Height :
______inches
Calculate the Diameter- Formula is:
Circumference /
Diameter at Breast Height (DBH):
______inches / Estimated distance to closest man-made structure (building, road, sidewalk etc):
______feet
Other Observations: (Does the tree look healthy to you? Why or why not?)
3
Is the plot:
Sunny?
Shady?
Partial Sun and Shade?
(Circle one) / Species:
Leaf Drawing:
Bark Description: / Circumference at Breast Height :
______inches
Calculate the Diameter- Formula is:
Circumference /
Diameter at Breast Height (DBH):
______inches / Estimated distance to closest man-made structure (building, road, sidewalk etc):
______feet
Other Observations: (Does the tree look healthy to you? Why or why not?)
4
Is the plot:
Sunny?
Shady?
Partial Sun and Shade?
(Circle one) / Species:
Leaf Drawing:
Bark Description: / Circumference at Breast Height :
______inches
Calculate the Diameter- Formula is:
Circumference /
Diameter at Breast Height (DBH):
______inches / Estimated distance to closest man-made structure (building, road, sidewalk etc):
______feet
Other Observations: (Does the tree look healthy to you? Why or why not?)
5
Is the plot:
Sunny?
Shady?
Partial Sun and Shade?
(Circle one) / Species:
Leaf Drawing:
Bark Description: / Circumference at Breast Height :
______inches
Calculate the Diameter- Formula is:
Circumference /
Diameter at Breast Height (DBH):
______inches / Estimated distance to closest man-made structure (building, road, sidewalk etc):
______feet
Other Observations: (Does the tree look healthy to you? Why or why not?)
Total # of Trees in your survey plot: / Total # of trees measured in your survey plot:
Your Urban Forest
Creating a Tree Census in Your Community
WHOLE CLASS DATA SHEET
Tree Species Inventory
As a class record all the trees you found in your school yard and tally the total # of each tree species.
Tree Species (Common Name) / # of this species in your survey plot / TOTAL*Once you have compiled this list as a class, compare it to Table 1: Tree Species, found in the Tree Census. Use the discussion prompts to compare your data to that collected by scientists as part of the Tree Census
Largest DBH (Diameter at Breast Height)
*As a class compile a list the tree species by diameter of tree trunk. This should give a relative idea of which trees on your property are the oldest. If you do not have any trees that fit within a size range for DBH write NONE.
DBH (inches) / Tree Species from your plot whose DBH is found within this range1-3
4-6
7-9
10-12
13-15
16-18
19-21
22-24
25-27
26-30
31+
*Once you have compiled this list as a class, compare it to Table 2: Tree Diameter and Size, found in the Urban Tree Census Data Excel Workbook. Use the discussion prompts to compare your data to that collected by scientists as part of the Urban Tree Census of the Chicago Region.
Tree Benefits by DBH
*Each group will complete the chart below for the trees they measured using, Table 3: Tree Diameter and Pollution /Carbon $, found in the Tree Census. Then as a class you will compile a total $$ and pounds of carbon removed from all the trees in your schoolyard.
My Group’s Tree Totals:
Tree Species / Carbon Sequestered / PollutionPounds per year (lbs) / $$ per year / Pounds per year (lbs) / $$ per year
Tree #1
Tree #2
Tree #3
Tree #4
Tree #5
TOTAL
TOTAL $$ / $ / $
$
Class Tree Totals:
# of Trees Measured / Carbon Sequestered / PollutionPounds per year (lbs) / $$ per year / Pounds per year (lbs) / $$ per year
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Group 4
Group 5
TOTAL
TOTAL $$ / $ / $
$
Total # of Trees Measured and Calculated:
Urban Tree Census Data from the Chicago Region
TABLE 1: Trees Species of the Chicago Region
Tree Species / Scientific Name / # of TreesEuropean Buckthorn / RhamnusCathartica / 44281470
Green Ash / FraxinusPennsyvanica / 8657000
Boxelder / Acer negundo / 8597890
Black Cherry / Prunusserotina / 7737030
American Elm / UlmusAmericana / 5363030
Sugar Maple / Acer saccharum / 4457170
White Ash / Fraxinus Americana / 4025410
Amur Honeysuckle / Loniceramaackii / 3370400
Silver Maple / Acer saccharinum / 3209940
Black Locust / Robiniapseudoaccacia / 2972090
Black Walnut / Juglansnigra / 2469240
Siberian Elm / Ulmuspumila / 2240590
Easterm Cottonwood / Populusdeltoids / 2198060
Norway Maple / Acer platanoides / 1858800
White Oak / Quercus Alba / 1857380
Honeysuckle spp / Lonicera species / 1559430
Eastern White Pine / PinusStrobus / 1525970
Urban Tree Census Data from the Chicago Region
TABLE 2: Tree Diameters and Size (DBH)
Tree Species / Median DBH inches / Mean (Average) DBH inchesEuropean Buckthorn / 2.1 / 2.6
Green Ash / 3.8 / 5.8
Boxelder / 4.4 / 6.7
Black Cherry / 4.5 / 5.8
American Elm / 4 / 5.4
Sugar Maple / 2.5 / 4.2
White Ash / 3.4 / 5
Amur Honeysuckle / 2 / 2.4
Silver Maple / 10.6 / 13.3
Black Locust / 7.2 / 7.3
Black Walnut / 5.8 / 7.6
Siberian Elm / 5.5 / 8
Easterm Cottonwood / 8.8 / 12.4
Norway Maple / 5.7 / 8.6
White Oak / 15.1 / 15.2
Honeysuckle spp / 2.1 / 2.6
Eastern White Pine / 9 / 9.6
TABLE 3: Tree Diameters and Pollution/Carbon $
DBH (inches) / Carbon Sequestered / Pollution RemovalPounds (lbs)per yr / $$ per yr / Pounds (lbs) per yr / $$ per yr
1 to 3 / 1.7 / .02 / 0.04 / 0.15
4 to 6 / 5.3 / .05 / 0.1 / 0.46
7 to 9 / 10.1 / .10 / 0.3 / 1.07
10 to 12 / 17.1 / .18 / 0.5 / 1.95
13 to 15 / 22.8 / .24 / 0.8 / 3
16 to 18 / 33.4 / .35 / 1 / 3.81
19 to 21 / 40.3 / .42 / 1.1 / 4.3
22 to 24 / 51.0 / .53 / 1.3 / 4.88
25 to 27 / 63.5 / .66 / 1.6 / 6.08
26 to 30 / 72.9 / .75 / 1.6 / 6.01
31+ / 108.5 / 1.12 / 2.6 / 9.79
How to Use iTree Design to Analyze your Community Tree Census
A Student Guide
- First begin by visiting:
- Next enter the address of school or survey site where they completed their census.
- Once you have entered the address, a google map of this address should appear on the next page. Zoom in so that most of the screen view is of the structure (home or school building). Choose “Yes” to calculate the impact of trees on your cooling and heating utility bill.
Note See Example Image Below:
- Next you will need to “Draw the structure”. For this you will need to capture the building in the blue shaded area. Position your structure at the top of map area. The blue shaded region originates from the blue shape icon at the top center of the screen. Use the Blue Shape in the top center of the screen in order to capture your building in the blue shaded area.
Note: See example image below:
- Next select when the structure was built, if it is heated and cooled and then choose “OK”
- Next you will need to place the trees that you collected during your School Yard Census. Choose the Tree Species; enter the DBH in the “tree diameter” box.
- Using the Tree icon in the top center of the map window drag the trees to an estimated location of where you measured each tree.
Note: See example image below:
- Next click “Estimate Benefits” and choose a number of years to track the benefits of your trees. You should track your tree’s benefits over a number of years.(1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25) Use your student worksheet to record and track your tree’s benefits over time. Note: See example image below:
- Look at the total savings (in green), the overall benefits as well as the connection to storm-water, energy, air quality and carbon dioxide. Once you are ready to go back and track another number of years click the “Return to Setup” found in blue in the upper right-hand corner of the window.
How to Use iTree Design to Analyze your Community Tree Census
A Student Worksheet
Data Chart to Track Your Community Census Trees Benefits Overtime
Current Year (1) / 5 years / 10 years / 15 years / 20 years / 25 yearsAnnual Benefit ($$) / $ / $ / $ / $ / $ / $
Graph it!
-Using the data in your chart, graph these values on a separate sheet of paper (Copy and paste this chart into Excel and graph these points using an Excel Workbook Page.
- What type of graph will you create? Why?
-What does this data tell you? Answer the reflection questions below:
- What surprises you about this data? What do you find interesting?
Dig Deeper!
-Look at some of the other “tabs” in the results section and record a few things that you learned about how the trees in your school yard impact: storm-water, energy, air quality, and carbon dioxide. What did you find interesting?
Storm-water / Energy / Air Quality / Carbon DioxideFacts that I found interesting:
- Who should you share this information with? Why would it be important to them?
- How can this data impact decisions made around your school? Home?
- Based off of your data, do the trees in your school yard have value? What impact would more trees have?
The Future of Your Urban Forest
Discussion Prompts and Questions to Synthesize the Data from Your Community Tree Census
*Cut apart each of the questions below individually (On the dotted line). Assemble the question strips into 1 set. Each student group (3-4 students) will need 1 set of questions.
The steps that your group took to collect data on the trees in your school yard is similar to the steps that researchers used to collect data for the Urban Trees and Forests of the Chicago Region. Why do you think it is important to collect data on the different trees of Chicagoland?
As part of your analysis you identified a number of benefits that the trees in your school yard provide for your community/school. Besides these benefits ($$ and carbon lbs.), what other benefits do these trees provide for your school community? Who do you think utilizes these trees (Humans, animals etc.)?
How do you think increasing the number of trees in your school yard would impact your community? Where do you think you should plant them? Which parts of your data would you use to convince community members, leaders or others to invest in these tree plantings?
You collected data on the trees surrounding your school. Where else would you like to measure trees in your community? Why? How could you use this information to improve the urban forest in your community?
What was the largest DBH measurement that you found among the trees you measured? What would you estimate the ages of many of the trees in your school yard to be? Old(20 years +) ? Young? (1-5 years old)? Mid-Age (10-15 years)? What do you think the age of the trees you measured says about the overall health of your urban forest? How long do you think trees live?
[1] Here is a picture of European Buckthorn. Data from the Tree Census determined that this tree/shrub species was the most commonly found in the Chicago land region. This tree/shrub is also considered an invasive species.[2]Did you find this plant in your census? Do you think it is a good plant to have the largest population of in Chicago-land? Why or why not?
The Future of Your Urban Forest
Goal and Action Steps Organizer
*How can you use this data to improve your school yard? Who should you share this data with?
Part 1: Set a GOAL
As a group, brainstorm some ideas and then decide on a goal you want to accomplish to improve, add to or protect your urban forest.
GOAL:
Action Steps
What are your next steps? What do you need to do to accomplish this goal? What materials will you need? How long do you think it will take? Use the organizer below to lay out your action steps and timeline.
Action Step / Materials(What materials will you need to complete this step?) / Timeline
(How long will it take to complete this step?)
[1]J.S. Peterson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
[2]Invasive species: A species (plant or animal) that is not native to the area it is found in. Oftentimes invasive species were introduced into the environment by humans or human related activities. In many cases these species can have negative impacts on the environments they have been introduced to.