Houston's Urban Forest, 2015

David J. Nowak, A.R. Bodine, R.E. Hoehn, T.W. Lister etc.

2017-12-01

Research Gate

Keywords: Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA), Urban Forest Monitoring, i-Tree Researchers, Houston, Texas, Texas A&M Forest Service (TFS), Urban Forest Inventory, i-Tree Eco Modeling Software

The information presented in this report can be used to improve and augment support for urban forest management programs and to inform policy and planning to improve environmental quality and human health in Houston. The analysis also provides a basis for monitoring changes in the urban forest over time.

The research discusses the environmental benefits of urban forests and the efforts to include urban trees in the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program. The FIA program, traditionally focused on rural forests, has partnered with i-Tree researchers to create a consistent national inventory of urban forests. Houston, Texas, is the second city to complete a full inventory cycle under this new program, following Austin. The partnership with the Texas A&M Forest Service (TFS) is crucial due to the increasing population in Texas and the recognized benefits of urban trees. During the 2015 field season, an intensified sample of urban FIA data was collected in Houston and analyzed using FIA methodologies and i-Tree Eco modeling software. The findings are summarized in this report, and an online querying application, My City’s Trees, has been developed to make the information accessible to stakeholders and aid in urban forest management.

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Tags: Ecological Benefits, Urban Ecosystems, Urban Green Spaces, Environmental Monitoring, Urban Tree Management