Tree benefit analysis

Many communities and other organizations are finding that a careful accounting of tree benefits is of great use in working with the public and the government. It is difficult to assign a dollar amount to the benefits experienced by a single individual, though that experience remains highly important. But it has become possible to quantify the value of environmental benefits to the community, for which specific figures can be objectively determined.

Methods

The key is the use of public software from the USDA Forest Service known as i-Tree, which applies the results of complicated scientific procedures developed over decades to practical use. Using tree data from some kind of inventory, the value of community trees can be estimated in terms of contributing factors such as the following:

  • pollution mitigation
  • storm water run-off reduction
  • carbon sequestration and storage

When people understand the tangible services that come from trees, they begin to connect urban forest management to environmental, social and economic health.

Products

We can calculate, report and explain the benefits of the trees tallied in any of the three inventory types, and can create materials that are appropriate to the audience you want to reach. Typical products include:

  • 1-2 pp Executive Summary of significant findings
  • 20-25 pp report including:
    • graphs with explanations of primary results
    • recommendations
    • detailed tables of findings with cross-tab analysis
  • ready-to-show presentation of primary results

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