Tree+Tours


 * ** Tree Inventory & Map Project ** **

= = Trees play many valuable roles in our lives. They sequester carbon, produce oxygen, fix nitrogen and distill water in controlling pollution. Trees play a roll in cleaning the air. Properly located trees [|reduce the heating and cooling costs] of buildings, as well as, contributing to more [|comfortable outdoor spaces]. Trees reduce soil erosion and provide important habitat and food sources for animals including mammals like people. [|Dead trees] provide hunting perches for raptors and other birds. They can provide vital housing for many species of animals including woodpeckers, bluebirds and opossums. Trees add to the value of property. They serve as landmarks and historic reminders ( [|General Sherman] & [|Liberty Tree] ). They even play a part in some [|cultural celebrations]. Your community has decided to [|inventory all the trees]. The goal is to create a map and a database with all the information collected for each tree. This information will be used to make decisions regarding tree maintenance, species of trees to plant and locations that would benefit from planting trees. Your class will be participating by collecting data. Check out - [|Virginia Tech Tree Inventory] | [|A Week in the Life of the NatureMapping Program]

**1. Select an area to inventory**. This could be your school's campus, a local public park or a neighborhood. If you are working in a neighborhood, you can do measurements of street trees. Be sure to respect property rights. Do not enter private property without permission. **2. Make a rough map of the area** that includes structures, streets and waterways. If there is a locally available map of your community, you could use it. (Sometimes the local Chamber of Commerce, visitor’s agency or realtors have free local maps.) **3. Review how to make tree measurements.** [|Be consistent] about the height you use for the circumference. Follow the national standard height 4.5 feet above ground. **4. Data to consider collecting:** [|Haverford Arboretum] - tree tour | [|UW Campus Tree Tour] | [|Trees of Prospect Park] [|Penn State Maps Elm trees on campus]
 * Location - use GPS if possible, use street address if it is not.
 * Species - scientific name & common name in a second field/cell
 * Native or nonnative tree
 * Evergreen or deciduous
 * Size - [|trunk girth] (circumference) 4.5 feet above ground - American Forests [|Measuring Guide]
 * [|Type of leaf] | [|A Guide to Deciduous Tree Knowledge]
 * Leaf color | [|Leaf margin]
 * [|Shape of tree]
 * Fruit - [|fruit tree 101]
 * Estimated size of mature tree - you will need to research this
 * Condition of tree
 * Digital photo of the tree - You could have the goal to take one in each season to present a complete picture.
 * Impact on area it is growing. Example - adds shade to walkway, fruits or nuts are messy or hazardous, fruits or nuts provide free/cheap food source, planted close to utility wires or structures, flowers enhance downtown shopping area in spring, stabilizes slope, nationally, state or regionally significant species.
 * Process: **
 * 1) Divide the site into sub areas with two or 3 people working in each sub area.
 * 2) Assemble your tools. What will you need?
 * 3) Collect the data. How will you avoid counting trees more than once?
 * 4) Publish your findings.
 * 5) Check out [|Tree inventory leads to a plan] to plant 100,000 trees where they are needed. [|Graphic of inventory results].
 * 6) What is the diversity of the tree species?
 * 7) What percentage are native trees to your region?
 * 8) Identify an area that would benefit from tree planting.

[|Arbor Day site] tree data | [|Urban & Community Forestry] | [|Tree Facts] | [|PLANTS] - USDA website [|TreeVitalize] project | [|From the Woods] - [|Community Forests] | [|Students map Trees] [|National Tree Benefit Calculator] [|Green Maps Around the World] | [|Mapping out a new world order] CNN [|National Register of Big Trees] | [|i-Tree] - public domain (free) tree mapping software GIS is computer software that links geographic information (where things are) with descriptive information (what things are like) [|Info for teachers]. [|GIS for School] - ESRI [|**Geographic Resources Analysis Support System**], commonly referred to as GRASS GIS, is a Geographic Information System (GIS) used for data management, image processing, graphics production, spatial modeling, and visualization of many types of data. **It is Free** Software/Open Source released under GNU General Public License (GPL). GRASS is official project of the Open Source Geospatial Foundation. On this website: [|GIS - Using and Understanding] | [|About Trees] | [|Maple Tree and Sugar Bush] | [|Trees of fencerows] [|Trees & plants of wetlands] | [|Tree Comparison/Contrast Project] based on //My Side of the Mountain// [|Gap Analysis] is a scientific means for assessing habitats & if native animal & plant species are being protected. [|Critter Quest PA] explore natural diversity using gis mapping [|Pathfinder Science] - "hands-on, minds-on" activities (student scientists not just science students) [|Capturing Carbon] - Nova Science Now online video Jul. 2008 An eighth-grader's science fair project prompts her scientist father to develop a new way to pull excess carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. [|Environmental Scientists Find Tree Combo For Carbon Sequestration] [|Plants and People] | [|Tree Compare/Contrast Project] based on //My Side of the Mountain// [|Tales from Urban Forest] | [|Leaf Classification] Mapping: [|The United States of Art] - Explore examples of public art in this interactive Google map [|Internet Hunts] / [|Nature] / [|Plants and People] / [|Computers] / [|Puzzles & Projects] / [|Pennsylvania Projects] / [|Home] All trademarks, copyright and logos belong to their respective owners. 2008 Cynthia J. O'Hora dedicated to honor [|Dr. Wangari Maathai] Released for use by nonprofit organizations posted 5/2008 Borrowed from the above author on 8/10/10
 * Resources: **