|
More Info on Cost/Benefit of Urban Trees
|
wpbu-@aol.com
|
Aug 19, 2009 16:57 PDT
|
From: Paul Zykofsky <pzyko-@lgc.org<mailto:pzyko-@lgc.org>>
Sent: On Tue, Aug 18, 2009 at 11:00 AM,
Hi Dan, Hi Jeff:
Hmmm... while I like Dan's numbers it looks like we have more competing studies.
The figures we have from a study done by Greg MacPherson at UC Davis are more in
line with Casey's number. At the upper end he estimates an annual benefit over
40 years for a large tree of $48-$62 with costs factored in. Multiply by 40 and
you get a range of $1,920-$2,480...
However, those numbers don't factor in the lower cost to maintain the asphalt on
a street when it is well shaded. The Greg also has figures from a study
on that issue. It estimates a $0.66/sq.ft. savings of a well-shaded
street over an unshaded street. Depending on the width and length of that
street that can add up to some real money. (For example, a 36-foot wide street
that's 1,000 feet long would result in savings of $23,760 in a 30-year
period...)
I'm cc'ing my colleague Josh Meyer who worked with Greg on the tree guidelines
we published some years back to see if he has contact info for him in case you
want to follow up. Let us know what you conclude.
Paul
From: Josh Meyer [jme-@lgc.org]
Sent: Tuesday, August 18, 2009 3:10 PM
Subject: Re: Casey Trees Report
As Paul indicated, one of the best resources on the benefits and costs of urban
trees in general and particular species in particular climate zones
is the US
Forest Service Center for Urban Forest Research in Davis, CA, headed by Greg
McPherson.
The home page is: http://www.fs.fed.us/psw/programs/cufr/research/benefit.shtml
Go to http://www.fs.fed.us/psw/programs/cufr/products.shtml for all of their
products - you will find lots of research, fact sheets, user-friendly as well as
more technical reports and studies about urban trees with respect to stormwater
runoff, water quality, air quality, climate change, energy, property values, and
maintenance costs and considerations.
In particular, review the Tree Guideline series they have on line by going to:
http://www.fs.fed.us/psw/programs/cufr/tree_guides.ph
These have been prepared for regions all over the country, and include matrices
with different types of trees cross-tabulated with growth characteristics,
maintenance needs, and water, air and energy benefits. The total cost and return
for each type of tree is calculated to help jurisdictions and private property
owners pick the right trees for the right locations and conditions. Not
surprisingly, properly selected big street trees always generate more return -
sometimes much more - than cost.
From: Rue, Harrison [HR-@icfi.com]
Sent: Tuesday, August 18, 2009 7:30 AM
Cc: jrna-@archone.tamu.edu
Subject: RE: Casey Trees Report
There was another more recent paper by Jodi Naderi that calculated the utility
('utilitree') of trees and - by comparing shaded vs treeless streets and
accidents (costs of ambulances, hospital stays, funerals, etc) she came=2
0up with
a large value - will look for paper later.
This was all before we learned about the measurable value of carbon
sequestration, and some are starting to calculate value for urban forests.
Haven't seen good figures for this, but (knowing from experience that a network
of shaded streets increases walking) that mode shift + ensuing VMT/GHG reduction
is also quantifiable.
From: Jeff Speck [mailto:je-@jeffspeck.com]
Sent: Tuesday, August 18, 2009 9:48 AM
Subject: Re: Casey Trees Report
Hi Harrison.
I'd like to see that Naderi paper. It is a crisis when a leading tree advocacy
organization is using a number that is 30 times smaller than yours.
I am cc'ing a friend from Casey Trees, so she can be made a part of this
discussion.
JEFF SPECK
From: Rue, Harrison [HR-@icfi.com]
Sent: Tuesday, August 18, 2009 11:12 AM
Cc: jrna-@archone.tamu.edu
Subject: RE: Casey Trees Report
Jeff -
Here’s one of Jody’s papers that focuses on safety
http://www.naturewithin.info/Roadside/Tree&Driver_ITE.pdf
Jody – do you have any updated data on $$ values of street trees?
And I like this paragraph for its source -
http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/ceq/foia/sectorial/r_44_.pdf
Harrison Rue | Principal | ICF International
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
|
|
 |
|
