2. Chicago’s urban forest
ChicagoRTI.orgChicagoRTI.org
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
3. Chicago Region
ChicagoRTI.orgChicagoRTI.org
9.9 million people
157,000,000 trees
7 counties
284 municipalities
~ 75 park districts
7 forest preserve districts
70% of trees on private
property
4. We need more information and we
need it at the community scale
ChicagoRTI.orgChicagoRTI.org
6. Urban forestry data
Chicago Region Trees Initiative
In a period of rapid data expansion
Many cities have:
• Land cover
• Inventories
• Surface temperature
• Socioeconomic, traffic or other
related data
ChicagoRTI.org
7. Urban forestry data
Chicago Region Trees Initiative
Which data has CRTI utilized
How did we collect it
What did we learn from it
ChicagoRTI.org
8. Urban forestry data
Chicago Region Trees Initiative
But how do you turn these
data into action?
ChicagoRTI.org
10. CRTI goals
Chicago Region Trees Initiative
Healthy, more resilient urban forest
Provides ecosystem services
Provides habitat for wildlife
ChicagoRTI.org
11. CRTI goals
Chicago Region Trees Initiative
Healthy, more resilient urban forest
Provides ecosystem services
Provides habitat for wildlife
ChicagoRTI.org
12. CRTI goals
Chicago Region Trees Initiative
Healthy, more resilient urban forest
Provides ecosystem services
Provides habitat for wildlife
ChicagoRTI.org
13. CRTI goals
Chicago Region Trees Initiative
Healthy, more resilient urban forest
Provides ecosystem services
Provides habitat for wildlife
ChicagoRTI.org
19. Land cover mapping
Chicago region
Cook
DuPage
Kane
Kendall
Lake
McHenry
Will
0%
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
Percentlandcover
23. Remotely sourced data
Chicago Region Trees Initiative
Where we have/don't have trees
Where is there room for growth
By location
By land use
ChicagoRTI.org
24. Remotely sourced data
Chicago Region Trees Initiative
What kind of trees?
Are they healthy?
How do we make the forest more
resilient?
ChicagoRTI.org
26. Tree inventory data
Chicago Region Trees Initiative
CRTI works on a regional scale
Across all land use types
So much data
ChicagoRTI.org
27. Tree inventory data
Chicago Region Trees Initiative
UFORE/i-Tree data
Street tree inventories
Park district data
Natural areas data
Universities
NGO inventories
Private properties
ChicagoRTI.org
28. Tree inventory data
Chicago Region Trees Initiative
Data standardized
• Names
• Health rankings
• Geographic systems...
Entered into geodatabase
Currently have information on ~800,000
trees!
ChicagoRTI.org
32. 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
35. Other community data
ChicagoRTI.org
Census
• Income, education,
minority populations
Ecosystem mapping
• Prairies, woodlands, wetlands
Flood maps
Surface temperature
40. Combining data
Chicago Region Trees Initiative
Data is measured in different units
Need to standardize data
• Use z-scores
ChicagoRTI.org
Z = (Value - average value)
standard deviation
41. Priority municipalities
Low canopy
High impervious
surfaces
High vulnerable
populations
High surface
temperature
42. Priority plantings
Chicago Region Trees Initiative
Layers vary by stakeholder and area
Need to communicate with stakeholders
to make priority maps that are relevant
ChicagoRTI.org
43. How can we use this data?
Chicago Region Trees Initiative
Define our work
Prioritize action
We can make goals to shape our future
ChicagoRTI.org
44. 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 preserves
ChicagoRTI.org
46. 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
Chicago Region Trees InitiativeChicagoRTI.org
47. Engagement
Chicago Region Trees Initiative
Meet with elected officials
Meet with forestry staff
Meet with volunteers or interested
residents
ChicagoRTI.org
54. Franklin Park
0 to 5
6 to 10
11 to 15
16 to 20
21 to 25
26 to 30
31 to 35
36 to 40
41 or more
0.00%
5.00%
10.00%
15.00%
20.00%
25.00%
Tree size distribution
Size class
Frequency
55. Identify needs and where
THEY are ready to start
Chicago Region Trees Initiative
Where Trees Are Needed
ChicagoRTI.org
56. Identify needs and where
THEY are ready to start
Chicago Region Trees Initiative
Expanded Diversity & Contract Growing
ChicagoRTI.org
57. Identify needs and where
THEY are ready to start
Chicago Region Trees Initiative
Urban Forest Management Plan
ChicagoRTI.org
58. Identify needs and where
THEY are ready to start
Chicago Region Trees Initiative
Tree Preservation Ordinances
Bronze
Silver
Gold
ChicagoRTI.org
59. Identify needs and where
THEY are ready to start
Chicago Region Trees Initiative
Stewardship Program
ChicagoRTI.org
60. Identify needs and where
THEY are ready to start
Chicago Region Trees Initiative
Urban Forestry Basic Training
ChicagoRTI.org
61. Identify needs and where
THEY are ready to start
Chicago Region Trees Initiative
Community Tree Network
ChicagoRTI.org
62. Chicago Region Trees Initiative
Lydia Scott, Director Lindsay Darling, Data Analyst
lscott@mortonarb.org LEDarlingGIS@gmail.com
ChicagoRTI.org