Urban Forest Effects Model (UFORE): Supporting a Green Infrastructure for London, Ontario

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Spring 2008

Residents and business owners in London are being asked to cooperate in a study of our urban forest taking place this May through September. The study, which is called the Urban Forest Effects Model (UFORE), is a tool to evaluate the environmental benefits of the City of London’s urban forest.

A city’s urban forest provides oxygen, removes pollutants from the air, conserves energy, improves water quality, reduces run-off and impacts on UV radiation. UFORE is a scientific approach that assesses the function and structure of urban forests. Designed by the United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, the model was developed for urban communities interested in the environmental benefits of urban forests, and to strengthen urban forest management efforts. UFORE measures the size, shape and location of a city’s green infrastructure and calculates its environmental and economical contribution.

Who are the project partners?

The City of London, the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority, and the United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service are partners in this UFORE project.

How will UFORE benefit Londoners?

Research has shown communities that foster green infrastructure are more liveable, produce fewer pollutants, and are more cost effective to operate. As the value of trees as green infrastructure in London has yet to be quantified, trees have not yet been factored into the City of London budget process.

The project results may be used to:

• Quantify the presence of green infrastructure and its function for air and water improvement

• Include green infrastructure as a public utility in the budget process

• Adopt public policies, regulations and incentives to increase and protect green infrastructure

• Establish tree canopy targets as part of development projects

• Identify prime tree planting sites to optimize air quality improvements

• Develop a Forest Management Plan for the City

The UFORE field inventory

The City of London and the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) have identified approximately 450 sample plots across the city. The plots include residential and industrial areas, and may or may not contain vegetation, as it is equally important to the study that we obtain information from both.

Letters requesting permission for the UTRCA’s two person crew (a forester and a field assistant) to enter on private property are being distributed to selected sample plot owners in May. If you receive one of these letters, you are encouraged to indicate your permission and return it in the postage paid envelope as soon as possible.

The intended period of field work (for the entire City) is May to late September, 8 am to 4 pm, Monday to Friday. Each site is surveyed only once and a site visit usually takes less than half a day. The field work consists of measuring and recording percent tree cover; tree species, diameter, height and crown width; percent of missing tree canopy; amount of dieback; and direction and distance to buildings. Plants and animals are not removed from the site.

The data will be analysed this fall, with the final report to be completed and presented in the spring of 2009. As a thank you for participating, landowners will receive a summary of the information collected.

City of London Councillor Joni Baechler and Tara Tchir, Ecologist with the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority, demonstrate a measurement technique at the launch of the UFORE project in April.

UFORE in Ontario - An assessment of trees in Oakville, Ontario, which is approximately half the size of London, revealed that this city has approximately 1.9 million trees with canopies that cover 29.1% percent of the area.

These trees currently store approximately 6,000 metric tons of carbon with an estimated value of $141,000. In addition, these trees remove about 6,300 tons of carbon per year and about 172 metric tons of air pollution per year ($1.12 million/yr). The replacement value of Oakville’s trees is estimated at $878 million.

UFORE Steps

Field inventories and existing information will be used to determine:

• Forest Structure

  • measure quantity, species diversity, density, and health

  • measure tree size (height and diameter), leaf area, and canopy cover

  • identify major pest threats (e.g., Asian Longhorn Beetle, Emerald Ash Borer, Gypsy Moth, Dutch Elm Disease)

  • measure total available space to plant trees

• Forest Function

  • measure energy conservation for buildings, e.g., cooling effect of shade trees

  • measure air pollution removal

  • measure amount of carbon storage and sequestration

  • measure amount of CO₂ filtered

• Forest Value

  • calculate the economic value of the urban forest

  • estimate the worth of each tree as it exists in the landscape

  • calculate the amount of energy savings

  • calculate the amount of money saved on pollution removal

  • develop recommendations, e.g., optimum locations to plant trees

  • develop benchmarks to measure and analyze changes in the urban forest over time

How can I help?

• Support the City of London in finding ways to improve green infrastructure

• Let us know if you have any questions or suggestions

• Talk to your local community group about helping, e.g., Friends of Oxbow Creek

For more information:

• , Ecologist, Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (ph: 519-451-2800 ext. 261)

• , Urban Forester, City of London (ph: 519-661-2500 ext. 4977)

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