A Method to Estimate City Street Tree Population Using Gis to Determine Optimum Sample Size

"This paper provides an introduction to urban forestry as a discipline and its evolution from its beginnings to the present day. As a discipline, urban forestry has grown and evolved into a recognized field of practice, in part, because of its ability to place dollar values on benefits provided by trees. This paper had two objectives: develop a unique sampling method for estimating a street tree inventory and develop a benefit/cost ratio methodology using this inventory data. The sampling method establishes an estimated street tree inventory using a Geographical Information System (GIS). Also, it will be demonstrated how using GIS software can enhance a municipality’s street tree management. As important, it was shown how this new inventory method can be tied to a benefit/cost analysis computer program (e.g., STRATUM) which can provide a municipality with an economic guideline for decisionmaking involved in street tree management. Case studies show how, by creating either a complete or partial inventory in a GIS, the methodology can provide users access to other digital data that can be used in conjunction with a tree inventory. The use of these elements together can make decisionmaking for the purposes of urban forestry more thorough and cost effective for communities." [Abstract]

[Submitted to the Faculty of Mississippi State University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master Science In Urban Forestry]

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