i-Tree Eco Project
Trees in urban and rural areas contribute significantly to human health and environmental quality by providing various ecosystem services (i.e., the conditions and processes through which natural ecosystems, and the species which make them up, sustain and fulfill human life). To better understand the ecosystem services and values provided by trees, the U.S. Forest Service, Northern Research Station, developed the Urban Forest Effects model, which is now known as i-Tree Eco. Results from i-Tree models are used to advance the understanding of tree and forest resources; improve urban and rural forest policies, planning and management; provide data to support the potential inclusion of trees within environmental regulations; and determine how trees affect the environment and consequently enhance human health and environmental quality in urban and rural areas.
The i-Tree Eco model is used to help quantify forest structure, function and values. Forest structure is a measure of various physical attributes of the vegetation, including tree species composition, number of trees, tree density, tree health, leaf area, biomass, and species diversity. Forest functions, which are determined by forest structure, include a wide range of environmental and ecosystem services such as air pollution removal and cooler air temperatures. Forest values are an estimate of the economic worth of the various forest functions.
View the full report (PDF), "Assessing Urban Forest Effects and Values: the Greater Kansas City Region", published by the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service.
To help determine the vegetation structure, functions, and values of trees in the greater Kansas City region, a vegetation assessment was conducted during autumn of 2010. For this assessment, 0.1-acre field plots were sampled and analyzed using the i-Tree Eco model. This report summarizes results and values of the table below:
- Forest structure
- Potential risk to trees from various insects or diseases
- Air pollution removal
- Carbon storage
- Annual carbon removal (sequestration)
- Changes in building energy use
The Greater Kansas City Regional Forest Summary (Trees)
Feature |
Measure |
Number of trees |
249,450,000 |
Tree and shrub canopy cover |
28.3% |
Tree canopy cover |
18.6% |
Most common species |
American elm, Northern hackberry, Osage orange, honeylocust, Eastern red cedar |
Percentage of trees < 6-inches diameter |
71.0% |
Pollution removal – trees |
25,940 tons*/year ($198 million/year) |
Ozone |
15,850 tons/year ($142million/year) |
Particulate matter |
6,030 tons/year ($36 million/year) |
Sulfur dioxide |
2,260 tons/year ($5.0 million/year) |
Nitrogen dioxide |
1,610 tons/year ($14.4 million/year) |
Carbon monoxide |
200 tons/year ($257,000/year) |
Carbon storage |
19.9 million tons ($411 million) |
Carbon sequestration |
1.0 million tons/year ($20.7 million/year) |
Building energy reduction |
$14.0 million / year |
Reduced carbon emissions |
$500,800 / year |
Structural value |
$93.4 billion |
*Ton – short ton (U.S.) (2,000 lbs) |
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i-Tree Eco project partners include the USDA Forest Service, the Kansas Forest Service, Missouri Department of Conservation, Mid-America Regional Council and Davey Resource Group.
The information collected from the i-Tree Eco has helped guide local forestry planning efforts. More about the regional forestry framework»
Download an overview of study findings, the benefits of Kansas City’s urban forest and the project’s work plan: Greater Kansas City Urban Forestry Fact Sheet (PDF).
Contribute to the Tree Fund
You can shape the future of our urban tree canopy by making a donation to your city’s Tree Fund at TreesForMyCity.com. Every dollar donated to the Tree Fund will be doubled up to $10,000 by the Dunn Family Foundation. A project of the Heartland Tree Alliance.
Threats in the region
Resources on two prominent threats to trees—Honeysuckle and the Emerald Ash Borer beetle.
Contact:
Lesley Rigney |
Tom Jacobs, Environmental Programs Manager |