Page 11 - JulyAugust2016 Vol34 No2
P. 11
KNOXVILLE By Jennifer Gulick
Tree Inventories
Save Time & Money with Data
Taking care of one tree can be Benefits and uses Forecasting management issues, such as
hard enough, but managing an entire of a tree inventory prioritizing maintenance, maintaining
population can be very challenging include: species diversity, and training young trees,
for Public Works departments – Increase Public and the budgets required to conduct these
especially in light of the threats of the Safety activities can be readily done with the
emerald ash borer, thousand canker data.
disease, and storms; the pressures of All cities must Increase Efficiency
urban development and stormwater address basic tree
management; and the growing political maintenance needs Once an inventory has identified the
demand to have green, sustainable cities. because of the work to be done, a manager can use it to
primary obligation of execute that work in a much more efficient
To address some of these issues and assuring public safety manner than before. By scheduling all
to assist in the management of large and reducing the work in a given area to be done at the
populations of trees, arborists have city’s overall liability. same time, substantial savings are usually
developed innovative tools that help A tree inventory will realized from the reduction of time spent
track and monitor trees. Chief among provide lists of trees on logistics. Instead of sending crews to
these tools is a tree inventory, which is a requiring priority handle situations one-at-a-time anywhere
database of information about a particular removal and pruning in an urban forest, the crews go to one
population of trees upon which decisions that a Public Works area and carry out all the necessary work.
can be made and action can be taken. department can carry The savings in travel and set-up time
out within the limits are substantial, with historical examples
A tree inventory that provides of budget and time. showing about a 50 percent reduction
maintenance and planting needs in cost — especially when a system of
assessments and up-to-date mapping The inventory can rotational work and/or preventative
is a basic and essential tool for proper be used subsequently maintenance is adopted.
management of public trees. With an to monitor trees for
inventory, cities have detailed information safety on a continual There is also increased efficiency in
and recommendations needed to basis. The existence the office created by using an electronic
effectively and proactively manage public of data on trees makes it easy to locate and
trees. re-evaluate them on a regular schedule. Continued on page 12
And, an inventory does not increase
Commonly collected data during an liability; it actually decreases it.
inventory includes: Facilitate Short- and Long-term Planning
• GIS Location
• Species Planning can be made much easier by
• Diameter using the data from a tree inventory. Lists
• Condition or maps can be generated of geographic
• Maintenance Need and Priority areas (e.g., all trees in Neighborhood X),
• Risk Level work needs (e.g., all hazard removals of
• Sidewalk and Other Hardscape Damage trees over 20” in diameter), sites (e.g.,
• Proximity to Utility Lines, Traffic Signs, vacant planting locations), etc. Whether
there is a need for fertilization, pest
and Signals management, or any other procedure,
• Potential Planting Sites having complete tree data that can be
easily ordered and analyzed will make
Inventories are generally completed planning for the job and its costs much
by trained Certified Arborists. The easier.
data is usually collected with handheld
computers and Geographic Positioning Some Public Works agencies also track
Systems (GPS) equipment for mapping. the work history of each tree with the
inventory. This helps in addressing service
Using commercially available tree requests, determining when an individual
management software programs, simple tree is near the end of its useful life, and
computer spreadsheet programs, or other supplying critical data to evaluate species
municipal asset management programs, performance.
cities can easily and quickly create work
reports, track tree maintenance and Finally, long-term planning for the
planting tasks and costs, and respond to forest is made easier by an inventory.
citizen requests from tree inventory data.
View online at tnpublicworks.com 11
Tree Inventories
Save Time & Money with Data
Taking care of one tree can be Benefits and uses Forecasting management issues, such as
hard enough, but managing an entire of a tree inventory prioritizing maintenance, maintaining
population can be very challenging include: species diversity, and training young trees,
for Public Works departments – Increase Public and the budgets required to conduct these
especially in light of the threats of the Safety activities can be readily done with the
emerald ash borer, thousand canker data.
disease, and storms; the pressures of All cities must Increase Efficiency
urban development and stormwater address basic tree
management; and the growing political maintenance needs Once an inventory has identified the
demand to have green, sustainable cities. because of the work to be done, a manager can use it to
primary obligation of execute that work in a much more efficient
To address some of these issues and assuring public safety manner than before. By scheduling all
to assist in the management of large and reducing the work in a given area to be done at the
populations of trees, arborists have city’s overall liability. same time, substantial savings are usually
developed innovative tools that help A tree inventory will realized from the reduction of time spent
track and monitor trees. Chief among provide lists of trees on logistics. Instead of sending crews to
these tools is a tree inventory, which is a requiring priority handle situations one-at-a-time anywhere
database of information about a particular removal and pruning in an urban forest, the crews go to one
population of trees upon which decisions that a Public Works area and carry out all the necessary work.
can be made and action can be taken. department can carry The savings in travel and set-up time
out within the limits are substantial, with historical examples
A tree inventory that provides of budget and time. showing about a 50 percent reduction
maintenance and planting needs in cost — especially when a system of
assessments and up-to-date mapping The inventory can rotational work and/or preventative
is a basic and essential tool for proper be used subsequently maintenance is adopted.
management of public trees. With an to monitor trees for
inventory, cities have detailed information safety on a continual There is also increased efficiency in
and recommendations needed to basis. The existence the office created by using an electronic
effectively and proactively manage public of data on trees makes it easy to locate and
trees. re-evaluate them on a regular schedule. Continued on page 12
And, an inventory does not increase
Commonly collected data during an liability; it actually decreases it.
inventory includes: Facilitate Short- and Long-term Planning
• GIS Location
• Species Planning can be made much easier by
• Diameter using the data from a tree inventory. Lists
• Condition or maps can be generated of geographic
• Maintenance Need and Priority areas (e.g., all trees in Neighborhood X),
• Risk Level work needs (e.g., all hazard removals of
• Sidewalk and Other Hardscape Damage trees over 20” in diameter), sites (e.g.,
• Proximity to Utility Lines, Traffic Signs, vacant planting locations), etc. Whether
there is a need for fertilization, pest
and Signals management, or any other procedure,
• Potential Planting Sites having complete tree data that can be
easily ordered and analyzed will make
Inventories are generally completed planning for the job and its costs much
by trained Certified Arborists. The easier.
data is usually collected with handheld
computers and Geographic Positioning Some Public Works agencies also track
Systems (GPS) equipment for mapping. the work history of each tree with the
inventory. This helps in addressing service
Using commercially available tree requests, determining when an individual
management software programs, simple tree is near the end of its useful life, and
computer spreadsheet programs, or other supplying critical data to evaluate species
municipal asset management programs, performance.
cities can easily and quickly create work
reports, track tree maintenance and Finally, long-term planning for the
planting tasks and costs, and respond to forest is made easier by an inventory.
citizen requests from tree inventory data.
View online at tnpublicworks.com 11
