“Neighborhood Level Planning for Urban Forestry Initiatives,” Tree Pittsburgh
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This document outlines a plan to increase tree canopy cover and engagement in the Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh. It analyzes the current state of the urban forest through various assessments. The plan includes recommendations developed through a public engagement process to strategically increase and maintain trees on both public and private lands. Progress will be evaluated by tracking metrics like the number of trees planted and changes in tree canopy cover over time.
“Neighborhood Level Planning for Urban Forestry Initiatives,” Tree Pittsburgh
- 1. A plan and program to increase tree canopy cover and engagement in the Lawrenceville neighborhood
- 2. Why Lawrenceville? • Engaged group of Tree Tenders • Diverse land uses • Lower canopy cover • Compromised air quality • Urban Heat Island
- 3. What do we have? State Of Lawrenceville’s Urban Forest What do we want? Planning Process and Public Engagement How do we get there? Recommendations and Implementation How are we doing? Evaluation and Monitoring
- 4. State Of Lawrenceville’s Urban Forest • Includes: – Urban tree canopy assessment (2011) – Park tree resource structure (2013) – TreeVitalize efforts (2008-2014) – Street tree resource structure (2014) • iTree streets – Allegheny Cemetery inventory (2006) – Connection to: • Air quality • Stormwater
- 5. Lower Lawrenceville Central Lawrenceville (with Cemetery) Central Lawrenceville (without Cemetery) Upper Lawrenceville Pittsburgh Average Current Canopy (%) 15.3 33.6 12.3 19 42 Possible Canopy (%) 39.9 42.6 41.7 44 33 Grass 20.0 30.9 22.9 12.9 24 Bare soil 0.4 0.1 0.2 0.0 0 Water 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.1 5 Building 25.5 14.0 26.9 21.0 12 Road 19.4 9.7 19.0 15.8 13 Paved 19.4 11.5 18.7 31.1 23 Pervious 35.7 64.7 35.4 32.1 62 Impervious 64.3 35.5 64.6 67.9 38
- 6. Lower Lawrenceville Central Lawrenceville (with Cemetery) Central Lawrenceville (without Cemetery) Upper Lawrenceville Pittsburgh Average Current Canopy (%) 15.3 33.6 12.3 19 42 Possible Canopy (%) 39.9 42.6 41.7 44 33 Grass 20.0 30.9 22.9 12.9 24 Bare soil 0.4 0.1 0.2 0.0 0 Water 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.1 5 Building 25.5 14.0 26.9 21.0 12 Road 19.4 9.7 19.0 15.8 13 Paved 19.4 11.5 18.7 31.1 23 Pervious 35.7 64.7 35.4 32.1 62 Impervious 64.3 35.5 64.6 67.9 38
- 10. Honey Locust Gleditsia triacanthos 141 trees (10%) Callery Pear Pyrus calleryana 223 trees (16%) Norway Maple Acer platanoides 99 trees (7%) Red Maple Acer rubrum 130 trees (9%) Hedge Maple Acer campestre 104 trees (7%) Japanese Tree Lilac Syringa reticulata 92 trees (6%)
- 11. * $477,916 annual benefits * 7,750,899 gallons of rainfall intercepted
- 12. Public Engagement • Neighborhood Ambassador • Steering Committee – Lawrenceville United – Lawrenceville Corporation – Friends of Arsenal Park – Lawrenceville Tree Tenders – City of Pittsburgh Planning Office – City of Pittsburgh Forestry Division • Community Survey • Community Meetings – State of Lawrenceville’s Urban Forest – Recommendations – Implementation strategies
- 13. Program Vision: Driven by an engaged and informed community and supported by non-profit organizations, city agencies, and private property owners, Lawrenceville’s urban forest will be better maintained and grow over the next five years to increase social, environmental, economic, and public health benefits trees provide. Program Goals 1) Provide a strategic vision to increase and enhance the current tree canopy throughout Lawrenceville. 2) Encourage public and private participation in urban forest management through volunteerism. 3) Empower neighborhood organizations to move forward different projects and programs to increase, maintain, and protect trees. 4) Ensure tree benefits for future generations through a sustainable planting program.
- 14. Trees Mean Business Cemetery Residential Tree Planting Program Community Spaces Trees for Industrial Property Maintenance Outreach
- 16. 450 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 Increase property value Improve air quality Increase business sales Provide shade during hot summer months Reduce utility bills Reduce stormwater runoff Reduce crime rates None of the above Other (please specify) Residents - Trees provide benefits to a neighborhood. What benefits do you think are important to your neighborhood?
- 17. 250 200 150 100 50 0 If you have room to plant a tree in your backyard, what type of tree would you like to Fruit Evergreen Small flowering tree Large shade tree None/No room plant?
- 21. 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Give an annual donation towards a neighborhood tree fund to care for trees in my business district if the fee is reasonable. Offer a donation of food, water, gift card, or some other business item for the local Tree Tenders at a Tree Care event Offer discounts to Tree Tenders Take a Tree Tender class geared specifically toward business owners Take part in a volunteer tree planting event in my business district None of the above Other (please specify) Business owners - How would you help to protect, maintain, and plant trees in the business district?
- 22. Cemeteries
- 23. Community Spaces
- 24. Evaluation and Monitoring • number of trees planted • survival rates • overall tree canopy cover change • tree canopy cover change by land type • number of Tree Tenders • number of trees pruned • number of trees mulched and weeded • assessment of annual tree benefits
- 28. Questions?
Editor's Notes
- #2: Goals: Increase tree canopy and improve existing canopy’s health Improve the condition of existing trees and remove hazardous trees in public spaces Increase awareness about the benefits of trees among residents Demonstrate the efficiencies and impact that can result from working at the neighborhood scale and create a model for replication
- #3: 80+ tree tenders Commercial, industrial, residential, parks, hillsides, riverfront
- #8: Census block break down – point out cemetery
- #9: Census block break down – point out opportunties along the riverfront
- #10: 95% of possible canopy cover falls on private property
- #12: -The survey focused on maintained areas of the cemetery and yielded 1,966 trees. -A total of 90 tree species were counted. -Total annual benefits from trees in maintained areas in Allegheny Cemetery - $477,916
- #13: 5 steering committee meetings April – community survey 3 community meetings 326 students 588 residents 123 business owners/managers 59 none of the above (disqualified on survey)
- #15: ReLeaf Lawrenceville is the overarching program recommendation with many subprograms
- #16: Private property subsidized tree planting program Advanced tree tender training course Outreach to recent homeowners Expand existing street tree pits Host monthly pruning workshops
- #20: 4% existing, 18% possible
- #21: Trees mean business Greening parking lots with stormwater focus Mulching and maintenance events with store owners and residents
- #22: In addition to asking greatest challenges and biggest concerns, we asked what they can do to help Many can help by offering a donation or taking part in a volunteer event
- #23: 300 acres, faced with declining canopy Dedicated maintenance fund Increase diversity Encourage replacement tree planting program due to declining canopy Designate as an official arboretum Volunteer tree plantings Wood reuse opportunities
- #24: Provide a junior tree tender course for school student Plant trees in community spaces – Arsenal and Leslie park redesign Riverfront and trail plantings Plant for replacement in parks – 250 + trees in arsenal park Celebrate arbor day Seedling nursery in schools
- #26: 80 trees near