Scientific Research

"TREE RESILIENCE IN THE SUSTAINABILITY OF URBAN ENVIRONMENTS"

Abstract

Every year, natural disasters knock down many trees. When these trees are replaced with new ones, their resilience is sometimes not considered, rendering them incapable of withstanding future storms. This creates a repetitive, unstable cycle in the environment, compromising its sustainability. Trees that fall during storms cause a myriad of damage including but not limited to: damage to homes, downed power lines, loss of electricity, and loss of habitat for wildlife.

It is the goal of this research endeavor to collect data before and after natural disasters to signal what trees should be used as replacements. Prior to future storms, maps can be created identifying trees in a given area and assigning each a number. Immediately after the storms, teams will depart to specific areas and map fallen trees with a GPS, determine the direction in which they fell, and find their location in relation to houses, curbs, or other structures. In addition, they can observe and collect data such as the amount of structural loss to the tree, the diameter of the trunk, and the species of the tree. Using this data, researchers can determine its resilience and decide to replant the same species or plant a better-suited species for the environment that storms frequent.

By collecting and analyzing data from fallen trees after natural disasters, researchers can conclude which species of tree to plant to stop the cycle of planting trees that are not best fit for said environments. In replanting these trees, sustainability of urban environments can be restored. This practice can be conducted by towns, cities, and other regions with the support of researchers and environmental scientists.

Future work

Future work for this project could involve updating and

upgrading our tree database to include more precise

identifications of tree species and other information such as

tree health. Future expansions of this project would include

conducting an inventory and mapping trees in other public

areas such as local parks and school grounds. After these

maps are created, we could contact community groups to

take part in collecting data and identifying tree damage in

the aftermath of other natural disasters such as

Superstorm Sandy. Each group would be assigned a

designated area and tree resilience would be assessed.

This information would then be passed onto local

government offices to aid in determining tree replacement.

Procedure

The first part of collecting our data required a manual field survey. We took observations and recorded data in Hall’s Pond Park in West Hempstead, a small suburban park with lawns, gardens, a pond, and a lot of trees, both large and small. Focusing on data collected in a small area such as Hall’s Pond is called a partial survey: a condensed version of what a larger area, such as our town, could present.

We measured the diameter, identified the species, and pinpointed the location of 69 trees by the pond. We also took down the location of a few landmarks like walkways and signs to describe our location a little bit better. The first thing we did was assign jobs. Two of us worked on measuring the trees (one held the measuring tape while the other read off the name) and another wrote down the measurements and took down the location of each tree.

Using a handheld GPS unit (Garmin Etrex 20 - 3 meter accuracy), we found the location of each tree in UTM coordinates. The easting coordinate always started with 0613 and the northing coordinate alternated between 4505 and 4504 depending on where you were in the area. Since the numbers were so close, the last three numbers were the most important. In a chart that was made before surveying, we recorded the location and diameter. We utilized DBH tape, a tape measure that specifically is made for measuring tree trunk diameter. It makes calculations quickly, accurately, and efficiently. We estimated the species of the trees but we kept most of the identification general. We surveyed all of the larger, older trees within the fence line of the park, skipping smaller ornamental trees that had been recently planted as part of a re-landscaping project.

After collecting all of this data we consolidated the information in a chart. Then the UTM values were converted into latitude and longitude coordinates using a Geographic/UTM Coordinate Converter online. These values were then entered into the chart. We then used an online map maker, Map Tool: Map Latitude Longitude Coordinates/Points, which is linked to Google Maps. Plotting these points required plugging in all of the coordinates individually. A map was made that represented all of the trees observed while surveying Hall’s Pond. The website also let us plot the points over a satellite image of the pond.

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