Urban forest structure and ecosystem services assessment in the Scotlandville Community for better planning and sustainable management.

摘要

ommunity urban forests are vital resources and need to be protected by having a management plan that provides strategies for sustainable practices. To determine the baseline condition of Scotlandville Community's Urban Forest, the USDA Forest Service and its Partners' i-Tree Eco Model and its associated methodology was used to conduct a 170 plot stratified random sampling inventory and study. The objectives of this dissertation research were to: (1) utilize i-Tree model to access urban forest structure including species composition, number of trees, DBH distribution, tree density, tree health, leaf area, leaf and tree biomass, and species diversity; (2) estimate ecosystem services such as air pollutant removal, carbon storage, energy savings and value; (3) explore the key indicators of a healthy and sustainable urban forest; (4) demonstrate the significance of trees and urban forest of the community while evaluating the importance of its sustainability; and (5) develop a recommended urban forestry management plan and best management practice strategies. The i-Tee Eco model results documented an estimated 239,000 trees with a canopy cover of 27%. The three most common species were Black Willow (16.9%), Water Oak (11.6%), and American Elm (11.9%). The health conditions were 92% excellent, 7% good, and 1% fair. The overall density of the urban forest is 31 trees per/acre. Trees that have diameters less than 6-inches constitute for 43.5% of the population. The i-Tree Eco Model valued Scotlandville's structural value at