2012 Edmond Urban Tree Canopy Report

p. 1

Edmond Urban Tree Canopy Report Ur ba n for estry depa rtmen t, 2012

table of con ten ts


p. 27 Literature Cited p. 26 Conclusion

p. 17 25 Discussion

p. 916 Urban Tree Canopy Assessment

p. 58 Urban Tree Canopy

p. 2 Edmonds Landscape

p. 34 Urban Forestry in Edmond

p. 1

Edmonds Landscape

t h e c i t y of e dmon d is located on the edge of the cross timbers forest, described by the ancient cross timbers consortium, the post oak and

blackjack oak woodlands that form the western frontier of deciduous forest

in texas, oklahoma and Kansas. the cross timbers are drought-stressed

woodlands, populated by low stature, slow growing trees, some of which

have potential of predating not only oklahoma statehood, but also the birth

of the United states. the areas in edmond where some of this forest still

remains are undergoing increased pressure from development.

p. 2

Urban Forestry In Edmond

Historically, edmond has placed increasingly great value in its urban forest resource and its native landscape. the edmond Urban forestry commission was created by ordinance in september 1999. edmond be-came a tree city Usa in 2000 and has continued to maintain this desig-nation over the years, in addition to attaining multiple Growth awards. emphasis on preserving the native landscape began in the early stages of the edmond Urban forestry commissions development. In 2001, the edmond city council adopted the edmond community forestry plan. through approval of this plan, the city showed its dedication to raising community awareness of the importance and value of edmonds urban forestry assets. Under Goal 1, develop a tree management program for public activities, objective G, preserve native forest Habitat, the for-estry plan states that creating incentives and providing education to en-courage greater preservation of native forest as part of the development process is something to aspire to. the plan reemphasizes this by stating it repeatedly, along with requests to develop ordinances to reduce the impact of development on tree cover and topography.

In 2003 and 2004, the city of edmond took steps to delve deeper into the cross timbers preservation topic by conducting a two-part study, funded by Urban and community forestry assistance Grants. This study was the first of its kind in Oklahoma, an effort to gain a bet-ter understanding about the cross timbers and other sensitive areas around Edmond. The consultant identified potential biologically sen-sitive areas throughout edmond. Using historic data from the United states department of the Interior such as tree cover from 1871, 1930 and 2001, the consultant found several locations determined as potentially

Historically, Edmond has placed increasingly great value in its urban forest resource and its native landscape.

p. 3

containing sensitive ecosystems or characteristics. of special note were sites identified that may include pre-settlement remnant forests, or areas with trees that were present when oklahoma became a state. other areas included those that are considered biologically sensitive from a soil, archaeological or wildlife standpoint. the greatest amount of these sensitive areas exists in the eastern portion of edmond. those located in the western part of the city are smaller and less widespread due to pres- sures from urban expansion over the years.

In 2007, edmond city council passed revisions to title 22 in the code of ordinances, which addresses zoning. these revisions accounted for point values that are offered to developers for preserving trees as a part of the landscape point requirements in the site plan review process. the point values for tree preservation areas are favorable against those for clearing and installing new landscaping, and through this addition the city took a new step in the direction of preserving edmonds native landscape. supporting this ordinance change is edmond plan IV which de-scribes the basis of edmonds goals for preservation of natural areas and justification for this vision. Edmond Plan IV acts as a general guide for how the city should grow and develop over the long term. Integration of the natural area and remnant forest preservation concepts into edmond plan IV shows edmonds commitment to protection of the environment and the historic forest landscape.

after mapping edmonds potential remnant cross timbers areas through the sensitive areas project and incorporating their preservation into edmonds comprehensive planning process, the next step was the inventory of specific sites to determine whether they are in fact Cross timbers, if they have pre-settlement trees. a study was conducted in the spring of 2010, which involved a small scale cross timbers invento-ry. through the collection of trunk diameter and tree age measurements, the researchers analyzed the correlation between tree size, tree age and micro site characteristics of post oak trees on two adjacent sites. post oak is considered to be an indicator of potential remnant forest because its life span and resiliency are greater than that of other cross timbers species. While no pre-settlement trees were found, there were multiple trees over 100 years old.

Analysis of the study findings led to the conclusion that while preset-tlement trees may exist in edmond, the measures taken to discover them are neither efficient nor necessarily useful. However, the findings from studying this small percentage of the potential remnant forest did re-veal that these areas were very likely present at the time oklahoma be came a state. In addition, these forested areas have great value beyond their historic worth and should be preserved to continue their legacy as established, thriving ecosystems.

In short, the city of edmond has shifted its focus from individual witness trees to the broader scale of entire stands of cross timbers forest and even more broadly, edmonds urban tree canopy.

p. 4

Integration of the natural area and remnant forest preserva-tion concepts into Edmond Plan IV shows Edmonds commitment to protection of the environment and the historic forest landscape.

Urban Tree Canopy

WHat Is a n Ur ba n tr ee ca nopy?

through the sensitive areas study, edmond was able to identify where its forested areas are located. through the spring 2010 study and site visits, it was confirmed that many of these identified areas are Cross timbers forest.

the social and political climate of edmond supports the preservation of this historic landscape, which is a trademark to edmonds atmosphere and way of life. However, in order to approach recommendations for tree preservation and planting, the city needed to assess edmonds urban tree canopy (Utc) cover.

Utc is a measure which, when viewed from above, refers to the amount of leaves, limbs and stems that shelter the ground (Grove & oneil-dunne, 2011). It is expressed as a percentage of ground area that is covered by tree crowns. for example, a densely forested area with trees that have interlacing branches and no space between them may have a Utc of close to 100%. on the other hand, a prairie area with mostly grasses and very few trees may have a Utc of less than 5% (lackner & poracsky, 2004). edmonds environment falls in between, with a characteristic cross timbers forest comprised of both forested stands and open meadow in the midst of the built environment.

Utc relates to the branching spread of the trees in an urban forest. some Utc covers natural areas, while other Utc spreads across impervious surfaces such as roads and parking lots. tree preservation, tree planting and improving tree health through proper tree care prac-tices can contribute to a sustained or enhanced Utc. It is important

p. 5

UTC is a measure which, when viewed from above, refers to the amount of leaves, limbs and stems that shelter the ground (Grove & ONeil-Dunne, 2011).

to note that tree species planted will influence the speed of UTC increase, due to varied growth rates and life spans. proper tree maintenance, selecting the right tree for the right place and other proper techniques utilized by the Urban forestry department can help ensure that trees in edmond grow to be as large and healthy as possible, contributing to a greater amount of Utc.

WHy Is a n Ur ba n tr ee ca nopy Importa n t?

a greater amount of Utc is sought by communities, because larger, mature trees provide greater amounts of tree benefits (see Table 1). In addition to the environmental services, greater Utc can contribute to more community pride and a greater sense of well being for constituents.

Utc serves as storm water management infrastructure by catching rainfall that would otherwise end up in local streams and other bodies of water after running off paved surfaces and picking up debris and pollutants. Additional benefits of UTC include shade which reduces the urban heat island effect, energy conservation, cooler air temperatures, air purification, greater property values, wildlife habitat, community beautification, and improved quality of life (Center, 2008).

What are the benefits of Urban Tree Canopy in a community?

UTCreducesenergycostsforcoolingandheatingbuildings Presenceofhealthytreesincreasespropertyvaluesnearby

UTCbeautifiesthecommunity UTCcatchesrainfallthatwouldotherwiserunoffand carry pollutants into waterways

Treesfilterpollutantsfromtheair Itprovidesshadeandcoolsthesurroundingarea,reducing urban heat island effect

WildlifeutilizesUTCforfoodandshelter

UTCinurbanareasimprovesqualityoflifebycreating community pride and a greater sense of wellbeing

Table 1. | BenefitsofUrbanTreeCanopyinaCommunity

Urban and community forest-ry programs and communities canutilizeUTCassessment toachievemaximizedtree

benefitsprovidedbytheir urban forest.

p. 6

p. 7

By assessing UTC by land use,

Edmond can identify its op-

portunities in management

of the urban forest...

Urban and community forestry programs and communities can uti-lize UTC assessment to achieve maximized tree benefits provided by their urban forest. not only can the assessment identify how much land area is currently covered by trees, but it can also help these programs and communities determine where there are new opportunities to plant trees and also how much impervious cover is present in the community and where it is located (national, 2009).

the goal of the Utc assessment is to provide decision makers with detailed metrics regarding the tree canopy that exists in the urban for-est. the metrics allow them to not only understand the urban forest in its current state, but to plan feasible approaches to increasing Utc (Us forest service, 2012).

by assessing Utc by land use, edmond can identify its opportunities in management of the urban forest and use those results to recommend preservation or tree planting measures within the different land uses. edmond may also make comparisons between Utc of undeveloped areas and Utc of developed areas. the differences in Utc in these areas may then be correlated to shifts in the communitys overall Utc that could occur if land development continues under the present standards.

the city of edmond can also utilize Utc measures to set target Utc goals for the city as a whole, in addition to various land use areas. the measures may guide planting prioritization, outreach program development, standards for site plan review and projecting future management needs for maintaining a thriving and healthy urban forest. see table 2 for a summary of potential uses for study results.

What Are Urban Tree Canopy Assessment Results Used For?

Determiningwherethereareopportunitiestoplantnewtrees Byidentifyingconcentrationsofimperviouscover,treeplanting toreduceurbanheatislandeffectmaybeprioritized Creatinganunderstandingofthestateoftheurbanforestand providing a resource for planning future management IdentifyingshortcomingsinUTCinordertoprioritize preservationandplanting,therebymaximizingtheUTC benefitsexperienced ProjectingchangesinfutureUTCbystudyingvarious land uses and contrasting with local development patterns SettinggoalsfordesiredUTClevels.

Table 2. | Uses of Urban Tree Canopy Assessment Results

Utc assessment results in a picture of the urban forest that may be repeated in a set frequency to monitor the success of Utc goals. It is recommended to repeat Utc assessment every 5-8 years, since tree growth occurs slowly and would not show a measurable difference if assessed more often.

edmond Ur ba n tr ee ca nopy Gr a n t project

In 2010, the City of Edmond received an Urban and Community ForestryAssistanceCost-ShareGrantfromtheOklahomaDepartment ofAgriculture,FoodandForestry.Oneofthegoalsforthisgrantproject includes identifying tree canopy cover percentages of the overall Edmond community as well as the different land use areas.

By determining Edmonds UTC, the City can also begin to address other goals of the grant such as developing a new site analysis process to determine the value of a given sites existing landscape. The assess-mentalsocontributestojustificationofforestpreservationandsettingand progressing toward a target UTC percentage. This last initiative contributes to Goal 1 (Develop a tree management program for public activities),ObjectiveA(Establishandmaintainoptimumtreecover) of the Edmond Community Forestry Plan, which directs the Urban Forestry program to determine a target percent tree canopy coverage.

The City of Edmond Urban Forestry program made use of the new i-Tree Canopy software for this UTC assessment. This software was developedbyDavidJ.Nowak,JeffreyT.WaltonandEricJ.Greenfield oftheUSDAForestServiceandmodifiedforuseonthei-Treewebsite byDavidEllingsworth,MikeBinkley,andScottMacooftheDavey Tree Expert Company.

p. 8

One of the goals for this grant projectincludesidentifying

tree canopy cover percentages of the overall Edmond com-munity as well as the different land use areas.

Urban Tree Canopy Assessment

metHods

i-tree canopy is designed to allow users to easily and accurately estimate tree and other classes (e.g. grass, building, roads, etc.) within their city or any area they like. this tool randomly lays points (number determined by the user) onto Google earth imagery and the user then classifies what cover class each point falls upon. The user can define any cover classes that they like and the program will show estimation results throughout the interpretation process. point data and results can be exported for use in other programs if desired (binkley et al., 2011)

to begin the assessment, the i-tree canopy web site at www.itreetools.org/canopy/index.php was first accessed (Image 9). From here, the first step in utilizing the software is to upload an ESRI shapefile which de-lineates the boundary of the area to be measured. the city of edmond utilized a City Limits boundary shapefile initially, and then also mea-sured individual shapefiles for boundaries of land use areas through-out edmond city limits. these land use areas included: residential, commercial, Industrial, Institutional, transportation, open space, and Undeveloped. table 3 shows descriptions of each land use area assessed. see Images 1-8 for aerial viewpoints of the different land uses.

i-Tree Canopy is designed to allow users to easily and accu-rately estimate tree and other classes (e.g. grass, building, roads, etc.) within their city

p. 9

Continued on p. 14

Image 1.

residential l and use areasSinglefamilyresidentialhousing

Image 2.

commercial l and use areasCommercial and multi-family residential housing

Land Use Areas | a er I a l V IeWpoIn t

p. 10

Memorial

33rd

15th

Edmond

Danforth

Covell

Coffee Creek

Sorghum Mill

Waterloo

Pennsylvania

Western

Santa Fe

Kelly

Boulevard

Bryant

Coltrane

Sooner

Air Depot

Midw

est

Douglas

Post

Westm

inister

Anderson

Hiwassee

Henney

Choctaw

Memorial

33rd

15th

Edmond

Danforth

Covell

Coffee Creek

Sorghum Mill

Waterloo

Pennsylvania

Western

Santa Fe

Kelly

Boulevard

Bryant

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inister

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Image 3.

industrial l and use areasIndustrialzoning

Image 4.

institutional l and use areasPublicschools,universitiesandnon-parkCityownedland

p. 11

Memorial

33rd

15th

Edmond

Danforth

Covell

Coffee Creek

Sorghum Mill

Waterloo

Pennsylvania

Western

Santa Fe

Kelly

Boulevard

Bryant

Coltrane

Sooner

Air Depot

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inister

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Hiwassee

Henney

Choctaw

Memorial

33rd

15th

Edmond

Danforth

Covell

Coffee Creek

Sorghum Mill

Waterloo

Pennsylvania

Western

Santa Fe

Kelly

Boulevard

Bryant

Coltrane

Sooner

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inister

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Image 5.

tr ansportation l and use areasStreetright-of-way,I-35corridorandrailroadland

Image 6.

open space l and use areasParkland,golfcoursesandArcadiaLake

Land Use Areas | a er I a l V IeWpoIn t

p. 12

Memorial

33rd

15th

Edmond

Danforth

Covell

Coffee Creek

Sorghum Mill

Waterloo

Pennsylvania

Western

Santa Fe

Kelly

Boulevard

Bryant

Coltrane

Sooner

Air Depot

Midw

est

Douglas

Post

Westm

inister

Anderson

Hiwassee

Henney

Choctaw

Memorial

33rd

15th

Edmond

Danforth

Covell

Coffee Creek

Sorghum Mill

Waterloo

Pennsylvania

Western

Santa Fe

Kelly

Boulevard

Bryant

Coltrane

Sooner

Air Depot

Midw

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Douglas

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inister

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Hiwassee

Henney

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Image 7.

undeveloped l and use areasUndeveloped lots and agricultural land

Image 8.

comprehensive view of l and use areasAll land use areas previously mentioned in assessment

p. 13

Memorial

33rd

15th

Edmond

Danforth

Covell

Coffee Creek

Sorghum Mill

Waterloo

Pennsylvania

Western

Santa Fe

Kelly

Boulevard

Bryant

Coltrane

Sooner

Air Depot

Midw

est

Douglas

Post

Westm

inister

Anderson

Hiwassee

Henney

Choctaw

Memorial

33rd

15th

Edmond

Danforth

Covell

Coffee Creek

Sorghum Mill

Waterloo

Pennsylvania

Western

Santa Fe

Kelly

Boulevard

Bryant

Coltrane

Sooner

Air Depot

Midw

est

Douglas

Post

Westm

inister

Anderson

Hiwassee

Henney

Choctaw

after uploading an esrI shapefile, cover classes were identified. for the measurement of all shapefiles used in the city of edmond study, the cover classes collected included: tree/large shrub, non-tree Vegetation, soil/bare Ground, Water, Impervious building, Impervious road/street, and Impervious other. see table 3 for descriptions of each cover class.

Cover Class Name Description

Tree/Large Shrub Vegetation classified as a tree or a large shrub

Non-Tree Vegetation Any vegetation not classified as a tree or large shrub

Soil/Bare Ground Ground surface with soil or mineral material exposed

Water Bodies of water, not including swimming pools

Impervious Building Any surface of a building including roofs or walls

Impervious Road/Street Any roadways, excluding driveways or parking lot lanes

Impervious OtherAny other impervious surface such as parking lots, driveways, sidewalks, patios, swimming pools, etc

Table 3. | Cover classes used in determining Edmonds land cover

After uploading the ESRI shapefile and identifying cover classes, clas-sification of random points began (Image 10). I-Tree Canopy software selects random points throughout the boundary area, and the surveyor selects a cover class from a drop down menu which describes the type of cover present under the point marker. A minimum collection of five hundred points is recommended by i-tree developers to prevent inaccu-racy of analysis by a high standard of error. more points collected result in a lower standard of error, and thereby a more accurate assessment. for the purpose of the city of edmond Utc assessment, one thousand points were collected for each shapefile surveyed.

r esUlts

the Utc percentages for edmond city limits and for edmonds different land uses may be found in table 4, on page 16. the overall Utc coverage of edmond city limits is 35.9%. the residential land use area has the highest Utc, with 46.2%, followed closely by Undeveloped with 46.1%. open space has a Utc of 37.4%, Institutional land use has 23.8%, and commercial has a Utc of 17.7%. the two lowest Utc measurements came from the transportation land use with 15.4% tree cover and Industrial with 10.2%. for a visual depiction of cover class ra-tios within each individual land use, view charts 2-9.

p. 14

The Residential land use area has the highest UTC, with 46.2%, followed closely by Undeveloped with 46.1%.

Image 9. | i-Tree Canopy home screen

Image 10. | i-Tree Canopy point collection screen

p. 15

Cover Classes Tree Non-Tree Vegetation WaterSoil/Bare Ground

Impervious Building

Impervious Road

Impervious Other

Edmond City Limits 35.9 42.9 4.1 3.0 5.5 4.0 4.5

Residential 46.2 30.8 0.4 1.3 10.8 5.7 4.8

Commercial 17.7 22.7 0.2 2.9 19.7 3.6 33.2

Industrial 10.2 29.9 0.8 21.3 10.4 2.0 25.4

Institutional 23.8 38.7 1.1 5.2 9.4 2.7 19.0

Transportation 15.4 41.6 0.1 1.9 0.0 36.2 4.7

Open Space 37.4 35.0 23.5 2.2 0.0 0.8 1.1

Undeveloped 46.1 49.2 1.6 2.3 0.1 0.1 0.6

Table 4. | CanopyCoverClassPercentagesofAreasAssessedintheEdmondUTCStudy.

p. 16

Discussion

edmond cIt y lImIts

the foliage of trees covers 35.9% of edmonds land, or roughly 20,096 total acres. these trees encompass the urban forest and include trees around homes, along roads, in parks, in the floodplain, around businesses and institutions and on undeveloped or agricultural lands. a large amount of grass, shrubs, roads and buildings exist beneath the branches and foliage that make up tree canopy. While non- tree vegetation actually covers an even larger area than depicted in the study, much of this vegetation is covered up by tree foliage and is therefore classified as UTC. Similarly, much of the land area encompassed with buildings, roads or other paved surfaces may fall under the tree cover class because trees grow across and protect these surfaces.

The foliage of trees covers 35.9% of Edmonds land, or roughly 20,096 total acres.

p. 17

Table 5. | Acreage and per-

centage of Edmond city limits

encompassed by each land use

Land Use Acreage Land Percentage

Undeveloped 24582.93 43.92

Residential 18075.23 32.29

Open Space 6786.54 12.12

Institutional 1351.98 2.42

Commercial 2314 4.13

Transportation 2206.53 3.94

Industrial 661.44 1.18

Continued on p. 20

Ratio of Coverage Classes | l a nd Use a r e as

Ratio of Coverage Classes | l a nd Use a r e as

35.9 % Tree

42.9 % Non-Tree Vegetation

4.1% Water3.0% Soil/BareGround 5.5 % Impervious Building4.0% ImperviousRoad/Street 4.5 % Impervious Other

46.2% Tree

30.8% Non-Tree Vegetation

0.4% Water1.3% Soil/BareGround

10.8% Impervious Building

5.7% ImperviousRoad/Street

4.8% Impervious Other

edmond cIt y lImIts Chart 2. | Ratio of Cover Classes

resIden tI al Chart 3. | Ratio of Cover Classes

17.7 % Tree


0.2% Water 2.9 % Soil/BareGround

19.7 % Impervious Building



10.2% Tree


0.8% Water

21.3% Soil/BareGround

10.4% Impervious Building2.0% ImperviousRoad/Street


commercI al Chart 4. | Ratio of Cover Classes

IndUstr I al Chart 5. | Ratio of Cover Classes

InstItU tIonal Chart 6. | Ratio of Cover Classes

tr a nsportatIon Chart 7. | Ratio of Cover Classes

23.8% Tree


1.1% Water 5.2% Soil/BareGround 9.4% Impervious Building 2.7% ImperviousRoad/Street


15.4% Tree


1.9% Water0.1% Soil/BareGround

0.0% Impervious Building



open space Chart 8. | Ratio of Cover Classes

U ndeVeloped Chart 9. | Ratio of Cover Classes

37.4% Tree


23.5% Water

2.2% Soil/BareGround 0.0% Impervious Building0.8% ImperviousRoad/Street 1.1% Impervious Other

46.1% Tree


1.6% Water2.3% Soil/BareGround 0.1% Impervious Building 0.1% ImperviousRoad/Street 0.6% Impervious Other

r esIden tI a l

edmonds land uses vary drastically in the amount of land area cov-ered by tree canopy in each type. tree canopy covers 46.2% of edmonds residential areas, making up the largest ratio of Utc to other cover types. residential areas are also the second largest land use in edmond, making up 18075.23 acres and 32.29% of edmond city limits. due to the residential land uses large area ratio on edmond land, the high Utc number in residential areas greatly impacts the favorable Utc percent-age for edmond overall. many residential developments in edmond have built homes into the forest stands rather than completely clearing the forest to lay out residential lots. In addition, many edmond residents see the value in planting trees around their properties for shade, screen-ing, energy savings and aesthetics. residents are showing that trees are important to them. the city continues to accommodate and support this value by providing programs such as tree distributions at arbor day, the edmond electric open House, apache foundation distributions, and the foster-a-tree program. continuing the support for such programs furthers the enhancement of Utc in edmonds residential land use ar-eas and maintains tree cover after losses from storm events, inclement weather conditions, pests and disease and other issues. residents will likely continue to plant trees by their own accord as a result of active educational programs about the benefits and value of trees in the com-munity. edmond is also fortunate to attract a citizenry that value trees and reside in this community partly because of the beauty of the forest-ed edmond landscape. the unknown concern that may warrant further study is whether new developments are built in the same style as what resulted in the very favorable current canopy percentage. do they exhibit the same sensitivity and flexibility toward existing trees? It is difficult to predict how new residential developments will affect the residential land use Utc. there are currently no tree planting or preservation standards required of new single family residential developments.

U ndeV eloped

Undeveloped land includes the second largest ratio of Utc cover, at 46.1%. comprised of both undeveloped lots and agricultural proper-ty, most of edmonds remnant cross timbers forest is found within the Undeveloped land use. these areas have seen little disturbance, support thriving forest and prairie ecosystems full of wildlife and native plants and trees, and provide a multitude of environmental services. In addi-tion to these benefits the historic landscapes hold important cultural value. It is important to note that a change in zoning of currently unde-veloped lots may adversely impact the Citys UTC levels in a signifi- cant way. the Undeveloped land use currently makes up 24,582.93 acres, or 43.92% of edmonds total land area, which is the largest land use area in edmond. see table 5 for a comparison of acreages between the different land uses utilized in this study. depending on the change in land use, an undeveloped lot could see a reduction in Utc of as much p. 20

Theunknownconcernthat

may warrant further study is whether new developments are built in the same style as what resulted in the very favorable current canopy percentage.

as 36.4%. In addition, large areas of potential remnant forest could be wiped out as a result of site design that does not involve planning around existing trees up front. changing the current landscape standards to include a greater emphasis on tree preservation and placing a focus on the benefits of retaining older, established, larger sized trees rather than clearing forest and then planting greater numbers of young trees can help to reverse this effect. Its important to note that the undeveloped areas currently encompass much of edmonds existing cross timbers and potential remnant forest. Given the environmental and cultural significance of this important ecosystem, a carefully balanced approach to development is necessary in these areas.

open space

the open space land use includes park land and golf courses, and like the Undeveloped land use it also includes much of the area identified as potential remnant forest. open space is the third largest land use area, encompassing 12.12% of edmond with 6786.54 acres. the city has retained the natural landscape in many park land areas, which in-fluences the Open Space land use standing as the third highest ratio of Utc, at 37.4 %. arcadia lake falls into this land use, and the federally owned natural areas along the perimeter of the lake greatly influence the Utc level within open space in edmond as well. the parks and recreation department actively plants trees throughout edmond parks to provide shade for park patrons and to frame activity areas. through these efforts, Utc in park land will likely stay relatively the same or could potentially increase.

InstItU tIona l

In the areas including public school grounds, University of central oklahomas campus, and non-park city owned property, 23.8% of the ground surface spans beneath tree canopy, in the fourth high-est Utc land use area. the Institutional land use incorporates any school, university, or city property that is not a park, and these ar-eas add up to 1351.98 acres, or 2.42% of edmond city limits. one large city-owned property contributing to the Utc percentage is the cross timbers complex, which houses public Works administration and edmond electric. When it was built in 2006, the city met landscap-ing requirements by preserving 24 acres of native cross timbers for-est on the 137 acre lot, in addition to planting new trees around park-ing areas and along the entrance road. many other buildings owned by the city of edmond are surrounded by trees in the streetscape, but not all city properties have been assessed for opportunity to plant new trees. University of central oklahoma maintains a heavily planted land-scape throughout campus, providing shade for students and contribut-ing to the beauty of the institution. programs such as shade trees on playgrounds, established by the tree bank, may contribute to installa-tion of new trees on school properties and an increase in tree canopy

p. 21

Depending on the change in land use, an undeveloped lot could see a reduction in UTC of as much as 36.4%.

Continued on p. 24

Visual Comparison | tr ee coV er aGe

Visual Comparison | tr ee coV er aGe

35.9% tr ee coV er aGe

Edmond City Limits


Institutional


Residential


Commercial


Undeveloped


Transportation


Open Space


Industrial

cover. possible partnership opportunities may be available for putting forth an effort to assist with foresting school grounds and providing relief for students from the heat and skin damage resulting from direct sunlight.

commercI a l

consisting of non-industrial businesses, multiple family housing, and private schools, the commercial land use is currently only 17.7% covered by Utc. commercial properties are subject to requirements related to a certain quantity of plants that must be installed on a site relative to the lot size. While preservation of existing trees is encouraged and incentiv-ized through higher point values in the title 22 Zoning ordinance, no requirements currently exist for retaining existing trees on a site. even in the instance of a developed site with landscaping that has matured, a new business moving onto that site will often remove and replace landscaping as part of their site modifications. The outcome is a busi-ness with relatively mature trees that could have provided shade, energy conservation and other environmental and economic benefits that are instead replaced with young trees. these young trees will take several years to reach the production level of the previous trees, while years of services are lost. even with improved tree preservation measures the commercial land use goal for Utc will realistically be lower since the area of paved surfaces and buildings per lot is greater than in other land uses. However, it is important to note that incorporating numerous trees throughout these areas can reduce the frequency of paved area resurfac-ing, the amount of storm water runoff and drainage problems, and can attract customers and improve aesthetics. commercial properties cur-rently make up 2314 acres, or 4.13% of edmonds land area. Given the difference in Utc between commercial lots and Undeveloped lots and the vast amount of Undeveloped land that is likely to change land use in the future, edmonds Utc could be negatively impacted by zoning changes if landscaping practices continue in the same fashion.

tr a nsportatIon

transportation areas include public right-of-way throughout edmond, as well as Interstate Highway 35 (I-35) right-of-way and railroad property. these areas make up 2206.53 acres, or 3.94% of edmond. relatively few trees grow along I-35, as oklahoma department of transportation (odot) maintains the right-of-way with a large clear zone on either side. However, some of the exit ramps have natural stands of trees and others are planted with trees funded by odot grants. railroad property is also relatively clear of trees, which con-tributes to the low Utc of 15.4% in the transportation land use. the large portion of city right-of-way encompassed by paved roads also contributes to this number, but many of these roads are shaded by tree canopy as well. as roads are reconstructed, a landscape plan normally

p. 24

Possible partnership oppor-tunities may be available for putting forth an effort to assist with foresting school grounds ...

accompanies the street plans. many streets in edmond have trees installed in the center median as a result of this practice. In other areas, the city has planted trees in the median or along the side right- of-way through odot grants or other Urban forestry programs. trees installed through the foster-a-tree program also contribute to Utc in the right-of-way. as additional foster trees and right-of-way plant-ings are added and current foster trees and civic plantings mature, the transportation land use Utc level may continue to rise. However, with the redevelopment of arterial roads in edmond, some Utc within the transportation land use may also be lost.

IndUstr I a l

Industrial areas, 1.18% of edmond (661.44 acres), make up the land use that is least covered by tree canopy, with a Utc level of 10.2%. these ar-eas often stage large equipment and supplies, which leaves little room for trees to grow without conflicting with uses of the site. As new industrial sites develop, the city can encourage the preservation of existing trees in areas of the site that are less likely to be used for staging or transpor-tation, to increase the tree benefits experienced on that site. There may also be opportunity for additional tree planting within the parking lots of industrial sites.

p. 25

Given the difference in UTC between Commercial lots and Undeveloped lots and the vast amount of Undeveloped land thatislikelytochangeland

use in the future, Edmonds UTC could be negatively impactedbyzoningchanges if landscaping practices continue in the same fashion.

Edmond has come to the verge of a pivotal shift on how land-scaping on development sites is viewed. Rather than being valuedsolelyforbeautification,

trees throughout the city are valued as environmental management infrastructure.

Conclusion

the city of edmond is fortunate to have natural resources of all kinds, and the urban forest is one that may be managed and used wisely for the benefit of future generations. Currently, the UTC of Edmond city limits remains at a healthy range. However, as undeveloped lands (which make up nearly half of edmonds land area) are cleared and built upon thiscould change drastically. edmond has come to the verge of a pivotal shift on how landscaping on development sites is viewed. rather than being valued solely for beautification , trees throughout the city are valued as environmental management infrastructure. by retaining healthy, ma-ture trees and planting new trees, the future of tree benefits in Edmond may be ensured for generations to come.

Initially, the City should use these UTC findings to set goals for urban tree cover throughout city limits and also in each land use area. In order to track changes in Utc, the Urban forestry department should con-duct a canopy assessment once every five years.

positive changes to Utc on development sites depend on a change in site assessment standards and methods for calculating landscaping re-quirements. Without these changes, the current trends in landscaping practices will continue and new sites converted from undeveloped to other land uses will see a larger reduction in Utc.

the results of this study are also valuable for developing tree plant-ing partnerships and outreach programs to encourage tree planting and preservation throughout the city. through public education ef-forts, urban forest management planning, and policy changes, the city of edmond can enhance Utc and improve any practices that currently adversely affect Utc levels.

as water and energy become increasingly critical resources, the envi-ronmental services provided by community trees will continue to elevate in importance. developing active management standards for Utc in edmond now can result in greater relief realized from Utc infrastruc-ture in the future, when it becomes most vital. the city of edmond has the potential to maintain, enhance, and preserve its local ecosystems and cross timbers forest by thoughtfully planning for and appropriately developing the community.

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Literature Cited

Binkley, M., Ellingsworth, D., Greenfield, E. J., Maco, S., Nowak, D. J., & Walton, J. T. (2011).

i-tree canopy technical notes. retrieved january 11, 2012, from i-tree: http://www.itreetools.

org/canopy/resources/itree_canopy_methodology.pdf

center for Watershed protection; Us forest service. (2008). Urban tree canopy. retrieved

january 11, 2012, from Watershed forestry resource Guide: http://www.forestsforwatersheds.

org/urban-tree-canopy

Grove, j. m., & oneil-dunne, j. (2011, august 1). Urban tree canopy analysis Helps

Urban planners With tree planting campaigns. retrieved january 11, 2012, from

alliance for community trees: http://actrees.org/news/trees-in-the-news/research/

urban_tree_canopy_analysis_helps_urban_planne/

lackner, m., & poracsky, j. (2004). Urban forest canopy cover in portland, oregon,

1972-2002: final report. portland: portland state University cartographic center.

national association of state foresters; Urban and community forestry committee.

(2009). assessing Urban forest canopy cover: a primer for state foresters. Washington,

d.c.: national association of state foresters.

University of arkansas tree-ring laboratory. (2012) the ancient cross timbers consortium.

http://www.uark.edu/misc/xtimber/index.html

Us forest service, northern research station. (2012). Urban tree canopy. retrieved

january 11, 2012, from Urban natural resources stewardship: http://nrs.fs.fed.us/urban/utc/

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the edmond Urban tree canopy study was conducted through

an Urban and community assistance Grant received in 2010

through the oklahoma department of agriculture, food and

forestry and the Usda forest service.

TheUSDAisanequalopportunityproviderandemployer.

edmondok.com/trees


produced by the city of edmonds marketing and public relations department 2012 Uf1012

2012 Edmond Urban Tree Canopy Report

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Transcript of 2012 Edmond Urban Tree Canopy Report