Greening the Gateway Cities Human-Environment Regional Observatory (HERO) July 13th 2017 Eli Baldwin, Meyru Bhanti, Hannah Corney, Joe Mogel, Miles Weule & Gemma Wilkens
Our Research Team Clark University Eli Baldwin, Meyru Bhanti, Hannah Corney, Joe Mogel, Miles Weule & Gemma Wilkens Zhiwen Zhu, Mark Healey & Arthur Elmes John Rogan & Deb Martin University of Massachusetts Amherst Madison Kremer Ben Breger Theodore Eisenman Front Row: Meyru, Hannah, Eli, Sonny & Gemma 2 Back Row: Ben, Miles & Joe
2017 2012 2005 1999 3
Greening the Gateway Cities (GGC) Program Goal: To reduce energy costs by expanding tree canopy to cover 10% of the gateway cities. Revere Chelsea Holyoke Planting zone criteria: Low tree canopy Older housing stock =Gateway City = Greening the High wind speeds gateway city program Large renter population 4
Why Plant Trees? Urban Heat Islands : Metropolitan areas in which the temperature is significantly higher than surrounding vegetated areas due to human activities Temperature 20-50°F higher in urban heat islands. For every 1°F of increase over 68°F energy demands increase by up to 2% Increase peak demand 55 http://www.wbur.org/commonhealth/2017/07/05/greater-boston-heat-islands
Energy Saving Improving Air Mitigating Noise Quality Pollution Shade Shade Privacy Aesthetics Trees 6
Holyoke (Fall 2014-Present) Population: 40,280 Median Household Income: $37,372 Education: 23.4% 842 trees surveyed 515 street trees 327 private trees Chicopee Street trees Private trees 77
Chelsea (Spring 2014-Present) Population: 38,861 Median Household Income: $49,231 Education: 65.4% 429 trees surveyed 373 street trees 56 private trees Revere (Fall 2015-Present) Population: 54,157 Median Household Income: $52,483 Education: 19.5% 117 trees surveyed Street trees 117 street trees Private trees 0 private trees 8
Impervious Surface Composition Holyoke Average for all Greening the Area 59.1 km² Gateway Cities (12 cities) 17% Area 56.3 km² Revere 35% Area 26 km² 83% Chelsea 50% Area 6.4 km² 65% 25% Impervious 75% Non-impervious 9 MassGIS Data Impervious Surface
Research Questions 1. Understand factors related to tree health and survivorship How does tree health compare across the three cities? …by species? …by land use? …by site type? Understand the contribution and experience of residents and stakeholders 2 . What attitudes contribute to successful tree stewardship? What are the experiences of residence in caring for trees? How have the new trees affected residents’ perception of their property? of their neighborhood? of their city? 10
Tree Survey and Interviews Tree Survey - 4 weeks Interviews - 1 week Interview residents and stakeholders Assess tree characteristics that indicate tree health and canopy cover Assess resident interaction with the Department of Conservation and Recreation Record environmental factors that could 11 affect tree health
Tree Assessment Characteristics: Survivorship Alive Standing Dead Removed Unknown 12
Tree Assessment Characteristics: Vigor 1 - Healthy 2 - Slightly unhealthy 3 - Moderately unhealthy 4 - Severely unhealthy 5 - Dead 13
Tree Health: Other Indicators Basal Sprouting Insect & Fungus Damage Trunk Damage 14
Tree Assessment Characteristics: Size Metrics 4’6” Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) Distance to Impervious Height and Canopy Width 15
4’6” HERO Eli measuring DBH 16
HERO’s Meyru, Miles and Hannah HERO’s Gemma, Eli and Miles measuring height measuring width 17
HERO’s Hannah and Miles measuring distance to impervious 18
Tree Assessment Characteristics: Site Type Planting Strip Sidewalk Cutout Maintained Park Other Maintained 19
Tree Assessment Characteristics: Area Land Use Commercial land use Industrial land use Multi-family residential Single-family residential 20
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Species Composition of All Trees (n=1390) Most Frequently Planted Total: 11% Maples # of Trees # of Trees 22
Species Attribute Composition of All Trees <1% 3% Shade (n=1390) (n=1390) Ornamental 4% Fruit Unknown 29% 67% 48% 48% Japanese Cherry Native Non-native Unknown Native Sugar Maple Fraser Fir Maple
Site Type Composition: All Trees Private Trees (10%) 2% 5% 4% 2.5 Feet- average distance to Back Yard impervious of the nearest impervious <1% for sidewalk trees Front Yard 3% 28% Maintained Side Yard Area (19%) Maintained Park 16% Other Maintained Area Sidewalk Sidewalk Cut-out Trees (69%) Sidewalk Planting Strip Unknown n=1390 41% 24
Land Use Composition: All Trees Parks (6%) Vacant Lot 2%<1%6% 1% Maintained Park 10% 28% Mixed Use Commercial Residential Commercial Areas (54%) 9% Institutional & Industrial Areas (37%) Institutional Single-family Residential 18% 18% 26% Multi-family Residential Unknown n=1390 25
Survivorship: All Trees Holyoke Holyoke, Chelsea & 1% Revere 12% 1% 10% 10% Chelsea 1% 7% 8% 6% 78% n=842 Revere 86% 5% 1% n=432 81% Alive Removed n = 1390 Standing Dead Unknown n=116 26 94%
Top Five Species for Survivorship Cherry Plum Eastern Redbud Crabapple White Oak Honey locust 27
Species Composition of All Trees Most Frequently Planted (48% of all trees) # of Trees Crabapple Honey Locust 28
Bottom Five Species For Survivorship 100345 Black Gum Tulip Tree Dawn Redwood Cherry Dogwood Dogwood 29
Species Composition of All Trees Most Frequently Planted (48% of all trees) Dogwood # of Trees Tulip Tree 30
Street Trees Private Trees Census of tree health Convenience sample of tree health Nearly all street trees were surveyed based on Private residential/non-residential trees DCR geodatabase were surveyed based on individuals’ willingness to participate Stewardship responsibility Stewardship responsibility Maintained by the DCR and/or Department Maintained by private residents or of Public Works institutions Size Size Generally a larger caliper stem at planting Generally a smaller caliper stem at (2.0-2.5 in) planting (1.5-2.0 in) Stresses Stresses Include traffic,vandalism & lower quality soil Include damage from landscaping & infrequent watering 31
Survivorship for Street Trees Holyoke Street Trees Chelsea 86% n=515 Revere 87% n=373 87% n=1007 Alive 94% Dead or Removed n=116 32
All Street Trees: Site Type Survivorship Vigor Healthy Moderately Unhealthy Dead Alive Removed Slightly Unhealthy Severely Unhealthy Standing Dead Unknown 33
All Street Trees: Land Use Survivorship Vigor Percentage of Total Street Trees Percentage of Total Street Trees Healthy Moderately Unhealthy Dead Alive Removed Slightly Unhealthy Severely Unhealthy Standing Dead Unknown 34
Comparison Of All Street Trees % Alive Mean Mean Mean Mean Crown Number of DBH (In.) Height (Ft.) Vigor Width (Ft.) Trees All 87 2.14 12.3 1.72 6.28 1005 Holyoke 86 2.25 11.8 1.72 6.04 515 Chelsea 87 2.17 13.4 1.78 6.87 374 Revere 94 1.68 11.5 1.51 5.48 116 35
Holyoke: Street Tree Species Composition Most Frequently Planted 80 (50%of Holyoke trees) 70 57 54 37 36
Vigor of the Most Frequent Street Trees in Holyoke Most Frequently Planted Total 71 71 Healthy Total 64 64 n=273 Total 54 Slightly Unhealthy 54 Total 52 52 Moderately Unhealthy Severely Unhealthy Total 32 37 32 Dead Oak Maple Honey Crabapple Sweetgum Locust 37
Chelsea: Street Tree Species Composition Most Frequently Planted (54%of Chelsea trees) 58 43 41 40 # of Trees 30 # of Trees 38
Vigor of the Most Frequent Street Trees in Chelsea Most Frequently Planted Most Frequently Planted Total 53 53 n=198 Healthy Slightly Unhealthy 43 Total 43 39 Total 39 37 Total 37 Moderately Unhealthy # of trees Severely Unhealthy 26 Total 26 Dead Dogwood Maple Cherry Oak Hornbeam 39
Revere: Street Tree Species Composition Most Frequently Planted 14 (53%of Revere trees) 10 9 9 # of Trees 8 # of Trees 40
Vigor of the Most Frequent Street Trees in Revere Most Frequently Planted Most Frequently Planted Healthy n=47 12 Slightly Unhealthy 10 Moderately Unhealthy # of trees 9 8 8 Severely Unhealthy Dead Dogwood Cherry Japanese Tree Crabapple Serviceberry 41 Lilac
Best Performing Street Tree Species Crabapple Cherry Plum Pin Oak Japanese Honey Locust Tree Lilac Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent performance in all performance in performance in performance in performance in three cities Holyoke and Chelsea and did Holyoke and did Holyoke and Revere well in Revere well in Revere Revere, did well in Chelsea 42
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