Hanou-I-Putting-Online-Geospatial-Assessment-Tools-to-Use_Post-Review

Putting Geospatial Assessment Tools to Use Online: How Cities Prioritize Liveability and Health Outcomes Through the Lens of Urban Forestry Ian S Hanou Plan-It Geo, ianhanou@planitgeo.com Abstract Geospatial mapping and analysis of the urban forest including tree inventories and Urban Tree Canopy (UTC) assessments have become commonplace tools in North America Cities and environmental nonprofits use inventories to improve management and maintenance, and use UTC to develop a citywide benchmark, monitor change, inform master plans, and prioritize planting efforts to maximize benefits where they are lacking in the community As a natural progression with recent GIS and mobile technology innovations, inventories and UTC data have been incorporated into online mapping programs to increase access to this information and ease-of-use for non-technical users Through a series of short case studies, this paper highlights some of the benefits, considerations, and impacts of bringing urban forestry data and prioritization tools into online mapping applications Evidence suggests that such tools may increase awareness of the urban forest as an asset and a resource for community development, public health goals, and scenario planning The collaboration that is created during an inclusive process to develop and implement such tools is discussed along with the role of tree professionals and nonprofits in UTC targets, followed by recommendations for practitioners Keywords Urban forestry, uUrban tree canopy (UTC), geographic information systems (GIS), trees, geospatial, online mapping tools, prioritization, public health, outcomes Acknowledgements Thank you to Robert Seemann (Baton Rouge Green), Dana Dentice (PHS), Nate Faris (Keep Indianapolis Beautiful), Vivek Shandas (Portland State University), Chris Peiffer and Jeremy Cantor (Plan-It Geo), and anonymous peer reviewers for their edits and contributions to this paper Commented [KD1]: Words present in the title are not required in the Keywords INTRODUCTION During the past few decades, there has been a groundswell of awareness of the benefits and ecosystem services of urban trees and green infrastructure, thanks in part to the funding, research, and development by many agencies, nonprofits, and academic institutions Local governments now regularly include chapters in climate action plans, sustainability plans, emergency management plans, and comprehensive plans on the contributions and mitigating effects of urban forests in making cities more resilient to unknown or unanticipated changes Public health, local economies, and transportation are all affected by planning and management of trees and forests on public and private lands (Dwyer 2003) Even the role of tree professionals is expanding and evolving, as more is expected of arborists and urban foresters after storm events, in sustainability planning, and with rapid development A variety of new and innovative technologies are being used in urban and community forestry programs across North America Urban trees, like other valued assets, require proper planning and management to withstand pressures from urban, suburban, and exurban development as well as pests, diseases, storms, and pollution Technology helps forestry managers and arborists achieve the greatest return on investment from efficiency in their methods to assess, manage, plan, implement, track, and monitor the urban and community forest resource (Hanou 2016) These applications focus on outreach, education, management, and planning to maximize benefits, minimize costs, prioritize efforts, track maintenance and costs, and visualize or quantify outcomes (Boyer 2016) In recent years, there has been an explosion of online mapping tools and apps, many of which include social and demographic data and information on trees and urban ecology Some of the many examples include: Trees and Health (Portland State University), UTC Mapper (Virginia Tech), Cool-Connect-Absorb (Trust for Public Land), Healthy Trees, Healthy Cities (The Nature Conservancy), Open Tree Map (Azavea), CanVis and C-CAP Land Cover Atlas (NOAA Digital Coast), i-Tree Suite (USDA Forest Service, Davey Institute, and others), the Urban Forest Cloud suite including Tree Plotter and Canopy Planner (Plan-It Geo), Health Impact Assessment (US Environmental Protection Agency), and STEW-MAP (Center for Neighbourhood Technology and USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station) Amongst other goals, this paper introduces several online mapping applications, what they are being used for, availability of data inputs, steps in the process of tool development, best practices for application, and recommendations using a series of case studies A discussion touches on future research on the role online mapping tools have in the cultural and social aspect of urban forestry or similar programs An introduction is provided below on the technologies, methods, terms, and applications Tree Inventories and Planting Program Tools – Online Cities use tree inventories to manage and budget for their tree population by knowing more about the number, location, size or age, condition, composition and maintenance needs of the resource On average, 67% of U.S communities have completed some type of an inventory (Hauer and Peterson 2015) This is lower for smaller communities (30% if between 2,500 and 4,999 people) and higher for larger cities with greater resources (92% in places with a population at least >250,000 population) Computer-based systems were in use by 83% of the municipalities surveyed In addition, municipal, regional, and statewide tree planting initiatives have sprouted up throughout the US and Canada in the past decade New York City recently reached its MillionTreesNYC planting goal, a laudable effort (MillionTreesNYC n.d.) Online apps and technologies permeate our lifestyle and have a profound impact on our ability to access and share information Progressive cities and organizations now leverage web and mobile technologies to collect, manage, share, educate, and analyze a variety of treerelated information Users can access data from anywhere and manage GIS tree inventory information, planting activities, volunteers, or work orders—and even view their entire urban tree canopy—all without knowing they’re actually “doing GIS” (Hanou 2016) This allows multiple users to add or edit information in real-time and provides visuals through maps and dashboards Additionally, GPS/GIS hardware and software are not necessarily required, often just a smartphone or tablet with internet connectivity, lowering cost and increasing accessibility to a broader user base The case studies that follow, particularly from Baton Rouge Green and Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, illustrate how organizations aggregate, analyze, share, monitor, and report on urban tree inventories and planting programs through online tools Tree Canopy Assessments – Online Comprehensive geospatial analysis is used to assess the extent of urban tree canopy (UTC) using LiDAR, multispectral imagery, and ancillary GIS data inputs UTC has become a key performance metric for cities and an indicator of the environmental health of a community, alongside other indicators such as water quality, access to nature, obesity, and many other socio-spatial variables A GIS baseline of existing canopy data and potential planting areas helps to identify areas of need, prioritize planting projects over time, address underserved areas and improve equitable distribution of canopy, and identify partners for funding and stewardship where they can be most effective These studies consistently show that the majority of existing tree canopy is found on private land, as is the overall proportion of available planting space (O’Neil-Dunne 2009) This information directs outreach, policy, and management on private ownership types to make the greatest impact on UTC goals, thus contributing to community sustainability, equity, access, and environmental goals Until recently, the data has only been used by GIS professionals There is an evolving use of easy-to-use, interactive, online visualization and prioritization tools to view, plan, and grow the urban tree canopy This paper builds upon and complements other UTC prioritization efforts (Locke et al 2013) by highlighting the impacts of web-based urban forestry mapping tools through case studies and reflecting on the experiences Using just a web browser, stakeholders can quickly identify “hot spots” where existing canopy is low, planting potential is high, and areas where trees can make the greatest impact on environmental and socio-economic issues As eloquently stated by Locke et al (2013), “UTC prioritization works by matching known benefits of trees, to places lacking those benefits, and then matches those locations to organizations positioned to manage those issues that trees help to ameliorate.” With simple, visual tools such as slider bars or numeric ranges, users have the ability to weight their interests and priorities interactively and see outcomes instantly Rather than static maps or one opportunity to provide stakeholder input, these user interfaces allow the public and professionals to compare neighbourhoods or other geographies for social or environmental criteria and save or print weighted overlay maps Non-technical stakeholders can use these tools to track planting events and make informative maps for improved outreach, decision-making, management, planning, and implementation In an online map with various user interfaces, planners can also simulate tree planting outcomes on established or potential canopy goals and evaluate the associated economic and environmental impacts Additionally, online prioritization tools offer an education experience and transparency; information popups, icons, and photos can inform users about the underlying variables Lastly, new scenarios can be created in an adaptive management approach as priorities change (funding, development pressures, or storm events) or to target funding sources opportunistically (i.e grants) With ready access to this data by the public or non-traditional planners, there are new challenges to define the evolving role of tree professionals In addition, the process of developing prioritization tools can be as important as the tool itself for building partnerships and identifying how and where organization’s goals, areas, and preferences overlap (Locke et al 2013) These topics, as well as availability of data on public health and other concerns, are addressed in the case studies that follow, in particular Columbus, Ohio, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, and Portland State University CASE STUDIES Examples below are from Baton Rouge Green, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, Columbus, Ohio, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, and the Portland State University Direct editorial contributions and reviews were provided by each organization The case studies begin with online mapping tools for tree inventory planting programs and progress towards UTC prioritization tools Baton Rouge Green Online Tree Inventory Map Building the relationship between city government and local environmental or urban forestry nonprofits can be a powerful tactic to accomplish work cost-effectively and where it is not necessarily feasible by local government entities Baton Rouge Green (BRG) in Louisiana works closely with the City and the State’s Department of Transportation (LADOTD) With an online map showing the precise location, species, size, and condition of trees, they are able to not only share a map with information of the urban forest resource, but also quantify the ecosystem services that the trees are providing BRG’s online tree map (https://pgcloud.com/BatonRougeGreen) currently displays 10,301 trees, as well as property boundaries and street lines The public can view data in read-only mode and their staff have login accounts Figure Baton Rouge Green's online tree inventory application The application shows individual trees and the ecosystem services that they provide In 2016, BRG was able to use the online tool to state their concern in a letter to the LADOTD regarding the removal and relocation of a proposed highway exit ramp BRG included a map and a website URL showing the site where 110 crape myrtle trees stand in the path of the design They also included a summary of the benefits these trees provide, with values broken out for stormwater regulation (79,206 gallons/year), air pollution removal (84 lbs./year), carbon storedage (12,101 lbs.), and carbon sequestration (5,660 lbs./year) The values were calculated by the online application based on i-Tree research In addition, they were able to show that this mature stand is located in an area with relatively low tree canopy coverage, further raising the value of the existing trees The online inventory tool provided hard evidence of the resource and its value (technically the property of BRG) While a decision is still several months awayout, the letter and online map were useful in advocating for smart development and appropriate conservation of the urban tree canopy BRG advocated for a zero net loss of the ecosystem services that the trees provide over their lifetime and proposed a 3:1 replacement ratio for any trees removed or negatively impacted during associated construction associated with this proposed project Finally, BRG justified their inclusion in pre- and post-construction protection and mitigation plans by sharing their experience and arborist qualifications in designing, establishing, maintaining, and restoring roadside vegetation improvements and replanting plans The PHS Urban Forest Cloud The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS), founded in 1827, is a Philadelphia-based nonprofit leading greening efforts in the region PHS works with partners to educate residents and plant and care for trees through its Tree Tenders, Plant One Million, riparian, and tree giveaway planting programs Since 1993, the Tree Tenders program has offered training and trees to more than 150 municipalities and Philadelphia civic groups each planting season, resulting in 1,500-2,000 trees planted each year After planting, many groups actively maintain, monitor, and report the health of their trees by participating in Tree Checkers Many different types of tree and project data are collected, managed, and reported for Tree Tenders and other PHS planting programs Historically, this data was manually entered and maintained in spreadsheets (26 of them, to be exact), making data collection, management and reporting quite cumbersome Figure Pennsylvania Horticultural Society's Urban Forest Cloud application The application is used to collect and manage tree health monitoring data and new tree planting requests The PHS Urban Forest Cloud is an online browser-based mapping and database application used to streamline the process of collecting and managing tree health monitoring data and new tree planting requests in Philadelphia No longer on printed paper forms, entering data into spreadsheets, and then submitting to PHS, neighbourhood-level Tree Tenders groups now leverage the new tool on smartphones or tablets With an electronic tree application form, it is much more convenient for Tree Tenders to get their neighbours signed up for a tree and easier for PHS to submit that information to the City of Philadelphia for required permits In the first season using the online tool, one third of tree planting applications received were submitted via the Urban Forest Cloud, a positive sign for even greater future adoption and operational efficiencies Volunteers and PHS staff have reported that the mobile-friendly tool is more efficient to document tree health and maintenance and also attach a photo while inspecting trees in the field as part of the annual Tree Checkers program One Tree Tender remarked on her experience, “I really like the visual nature of the Urban Forest Cloud It made it easy to break 31 trees into manageable chunks and then determine the order in which to check the trees in each chunk.” Tree Checkers data reporting was previously done exclusively on paper forms and entered into various spreadsheets, not always in consistent formats All data is now stored in a centralized location, in a standard format that can be viewed and exported by PHS staff and Tree Tenders group leaders A live ‘dashboard’ analyzes and summarizes results of the annual Tree Checkers program on how new trees are performing and being cared for, as well as tables and graphs of species composition The Columbus, Ohio Branch Out Campaign The City of Columbus, Ohio developed a “Branch Out Columbus Campaign” led by the mayor’s Green Team How the 300,000 tree planting program sprouted provides a relevant case study on the use of technology in urban forestry that’s driving real change This example also includes both site-specific tracking tools and landscape-scale visualization of urban forest data In 2014, in the face of the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) invasion and development pressures, the City needed an accurate benchmark of their urban tree canopy (UTC) to develop an informed canopy cover goal and prioritize areas for increasing canopy The City initiated a canopy analysis using high resolution LiDAR and multispectral imagery for its 230 square mile boundary, which showed an average tree cover of 22% The study also mapped trends in canopy cover over time and analyzed socioeconomic and demographic information to evaluate possible inequities in distribution of the urban forest A significant outcome from the comprehensive study is the Branch Out program, a public outreach campaign intended to generate interest and participation in growing the urban forest It was a response to information provided by the assessment which indicated that the City would likely be unable to reach its tree canopy goals without private partnerships and citizen involvement On public lands, the City’s Forestry Section is working to implement an operational paradigm shift to effectively address issues identified by the assessment Primarily they are using a more proactive approach to tree plantings and identifying target sites where tree benefits will be maximized, rather than the reactive approach used in the past With this rich data set, the City is using an interactive, online map and canopy planning software The web tool serves many purposes, from landscape-scale view of the canopy to the maintenance of newly planted trees to reach the city’s goal Even with the technical nature of the GIS canopy analysis data, any user can now quickly filter and display areas with low tree canopy and high potential for expanding UTC without GIS software or training A green team stakeholder committee listed and ranked priorities in a spreadsheet to identify which criteria are most important for areas to expand tree canopy and inclusion in the tool Users can now weight the criteria to make targeted, priority-based planting maps for goals, such as reducing the urban heat island effect, energy conservation from tree shade, equitable distribution of canopy, and riparian corridor restoration In addition, approved users can add planting or restoration events and track individual tree plantings to reach Columbus' laudable tree planting goals Volunteers can even "Sign-Up" for upcoming events using the online mapping tool, notifying an event leader automatically by email that they have a new volunteer Figure Columbus, Ohio's Tree Canopy Planner application The application provides an interface to interact with urban tree canopy assessment data to view and filter canopy levels by various geographies, target key areas for future planting locations, and simulate future canopy cover in relation to planting goals With this benchmark and baseline from which to plan, prioritize, and set goals, Columbus was able to rethink realistic planting targets, canopy goals, and the timeframe and partnerships to achieve them Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc Tree Canopy Map Keep Indianapolis Beautiful (KIB) serves the city of Indianapolis, Indiana and surrounding Marion County with a mission to engage diverse communities to create vibrant public places, helping people and nature thrive™ Since 1976, they have worked with the community to plant over 50,000 trees, towards a goal of reaching 100,000 trees planted Other initiatives at KIB include beautification, placemaking, cleanups, and youth programming In 2006, KIB partnered with the Indianapolis University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) to create a “hot spot” map of priority tree canopy areas in Marion County by analyzing environmental data and social challenges Criteria included tree canopy, impervious surfaces, proximity to industrial plants, traffic counts, rates of childhood asthma, crime, and income (Keep Indianapolis Beautiful n.d.) The resulting heat map was heavily used to plan projects and identify funding for nearly a decade During that time, KIB tracked the location of tree plantings in desktop GIS software, and stored nursery orders, project details, and volunteer information in a Microsoft Access database More recently, KIB identified the need for a strategic planning tool that would identify overlapping initiatives, help to develop partnerships, be visible to potential donors, and educate and inform the public about the value of greenspace Overall, they wanted to build social capital and a better “tree culture” in Indianapolis Through a private grant in 2015, KIB funded the development of a cloud-based application to map their programmatic activities and meet these goals Administrators and board members from public health, policy, land/community planning, water, and education weighed in on the project, which was broken into two phases Phase-1 replaced the static 2006 hot spot map with an interactive tool to view, plan, and grow the region’s tree canopy Some previously chosen criteria were used, as well as new inputs Three examples of new criteria out of 10 total chosen by KIB are described here Given the published effects of tree canopy on improved air quality and health (Donovan 2013), areas with Vulnerable Populations – defined as the percentage of people age 65 years and older – were added as a variable Residents in these areas may be more sensitive to poor air quality and urban heat stressors Areas with Low Economic Vitality were incorporated by using median home value (U.S Census American Community Survey 5-year summaries, 2009-2013) Using 1-meter resolution land cover mapping and removing agricultural and industrial lands, the percent of Possible Planting Area was calculated for block groups as another criterion The previous hot spot map did not account for available space to plant, only the need based on overlapping criteria As a future objective, KIB is working to define and compile data sources to create a countywide "health layer" asnd an additional variable in the model Certain data sources can be more scarce or expensive to obtain and analyze This can limit the inputs in a prioritization tool and outcomes for identifying communities that are in need of particular benefits from trees For example, urban tree canopy can play a role in increasing access to nature by way of parks and open space and promoting healthy lifestyles (Wolf 2004), though data on obesity or asthma rates from studies and health records may be sporadically located across a city or county and not useful in a regional map Reflecting on the process, the selection of these well-vetted criteria to prioritize initiatives is ultimately a reflection of KIB’s mission statement and purpose as an organization Another tool in the online map provides a ‘spatial calculator’ of sorts KIB can “grow” the urban forest by selecting one or more neighbourhoods or census blocks, entering a desired canopy cover target, and information about the size of the trees at maturity (small, medium, or large stature) With this tool, KIB quickly realized the order of magnitude required for just a 1% increase in tree canopy countywide To grow from 33% to 34% tree canopy would require 267,413 new mature shade trees if they averaged 30-foot crown spread at maturity Phase-2 involved migrating KIB’s tree planting, volunteer, and project management database to a cloud-based environment While this involved extensive discussions to import various data types, every staff member can now access GIS tree data and detailed project and volunteer information from a tablet, not just GIS specialists from their desk Figure Keep Indianapolis Beautiful's Tree Canopy Planner application KIB is using the application to view current tree canopy cover and priority areas in the community for tree planting, restoration, and maximizing the benefits of urban trees Trees reserved at nurseries are entered into the application and assigned to projects Tree nursery orders can be created from within the application As trees are planted, they are mapped to exact locations and removed from the nursery inventory list, creating a point-ofsales process Other data fields allow staff to track required or performed maintenance, monitoring, notes, and dates of work history performed on the trees Expanding GIS functionality to all staff allows KIB to be consistent and efficient with data collection for better integrity and reporting of tree data and project summary information Both phases are complete and housed within one tool KIB can now overlay where they have been planting or need to be planting on top of priority areas from the interactive hot spot map Portland State University’s “Healthy Trees, Healthy People” Project In 2011, Portland State University received a grant from the U.S.D.A Forest Service’s, National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council (NUCFAC), to complete a project “Healthy Trees, Healthy People” The overarching research goals were to identify urban tree canopy designs that improve public health outcomes, and to quantify these benefits and their role in addressing air pollution and urban heat From 2011-2014, the team engaged public health professionals, land use planners, and urban foresters and characterized vegetation and canopy designs across 13 cities in the United States With land use, tree canopy, air pollution, and urban heat data, they established an empirical relationship among canopy design and environmental stressors, and developed a spatially explicit online GIS tool for these stakeholders (Shandas et al 2016) In October, 2013, the Healthy Trees, Healthy People project team distributed a survey to identify how urban forestry professionals in the 13 select pilot cities identify and prioritize tree planting locations Specifically, the survey was intended to learn how and in what way an online mapping tool may help with this task in these cities The team’s survey has had not been published in time to include results in this paper, therefore this case study introduces the survey that was conducted and describes the freely available online mapping tool Respondents were asked about the mapping tools and technologies they currently use and to identify three potential tools and technologies that could help achieve future tree planting goals In addition, participants were asked to select three tools and technologies from a list that would be most helpful in meeting planting goals The survey results were used to inform the design of the online mapping tool to help urban forestry, planning, and health professionals identify and prioritize planting sites that would yield the most benefit to historically underserved communities The Trees & Health APP can be explored at http://map.treesandhealth.org/ A user is first prompted to choose one of the 13 cities that data was analyzed for Users are then able to turn on/off, weight (rank), and filter six different criteria, including:       Percent (%) tree canopy cover Traffic-related air quality (TRAQ) Urban heat island index Percent (%) of residents under age 18 Percent (%) of residents over age 65 Percent (%) of residents living under poverty level Figure Portland State University’s Trees and Health APP This tool is being used to prioritize locations for new tree plantings to contribute the most to public health outcomes Tree canopy was derived from freely available 30-meter resolution National Land Cover Database (NLCD) from the U.S Geologic Survey (USGS) The TRAQ index was derived by Portland State University using GIS analysis and empirical research findings from Portland, Oregon The results from Portland’s empirical assessment were extrapolated to the other 12 cities Not only can the tool be used by any of the 13 existing cities, but other interested cities or regions can also request to be added to the application More information can be found at http://www.treesandhealth.org/ DISCUSSION These case studies demonstrate a growing trend and use of online mapping decision support tools at the nexus of urban planning, public health, and urban forestry programs These organizations are at the forefront of web/mobile technologies for urban forest management and will enjoy many benefits from increased awareness to new funding sources One desired outcome from this synthesis of online urban forestry tools and case studies is to inform and enable other cities and regions to develop projects and tools to analyze their urban forest, share and explore its benefits, improve efficiencies for management and maintenance, and create impactful partnerships The discussion that follows reinforces the benefits and types of applications, acknowledges challenges and limitations, lists future related research topics, and provides recommendations for practitioners Benefits & Applications Each case study demonstrateds the benefits that their organization has experienced through online geospatial tools with examples that are unique to their needs, users, and audience or stakeholders For Baton Rouge Green, having science-based tree valuations easily quantified and viewable on any smart device iwas a benefit, giving them a voice in transportation planning Pennsylvania Horticultural Society iwas reducing paperwork and spreadsheets to manage tree planting requests and enabling volunteers to tend for trees with their smartphone Columbus, Ohio iwas enjoying improved awareness, tracking, and goal setting, reinforced with their new Branch Out campaign Keep Indianapolis Beautiful iwas expanding the use of GIS tools to more staff to manage data for trees, nursery orders, priority planning areas, and projects more efficiently The numerous benefits and applications of UTC prioritization are well documented (Kimball et al 2014) By adding an online mobile component, these data, methodologies, and tools become more accessible to potential stakeholders and interactive to users, helping to increase exposure and awareness The team at Portland State describes unexpected but welcome results from the process of engaging and surveying cities with online geospatial tools The team provided an informal presentation to community groups in Portland and facilitated a discussion about what online urban forestry tools can provide New partners surfaced, including officials representing environmental justice, public health, and environmental interests for the first time Their discussion quickly got away from trees and evolved into one on jobs and crime reduction The conversation later came full circle by justifying what greening has done for communities from reduced crime and increased property values (Conniff n.d.), building wealth (not just jobs), managing temperature, and yielding environmental benefits The visual and interactive nature of these tools allowed stakeholders to evaluate their needs and determine how they will be helpful or not This led to a needs assessment, discussion on practical applications, and greater consensus on the role of trees in the community This emphasizes the value of using online mapping tools not only for implementation and tracking, but for an inclusive engagement process Groups with similar missions who had not been at the same table until now can be convened, allowing scientific and demographic data to be explored and compared across neighbourhoods and cities Viewing data in an online interactive map, one participant stated “We are far more biologically impoverished than I realized” when comparing their neighbourhood to others Challenges & Limitations In light of the benefits and applications above, there are constraints and considerations of online tools that should be acknowledged First and foremost, urban and community forestry is about people, then about trees Technology and tools are available to connect these components but in a supporting role, not a central or guiding one Not all decision makers, stakeholders, or volunteers will be positively impacted based on even the most compelling information in an online map or comfortable using it to find meaningful answers to issues Technology does not resonate with everyone, and some users can be intimidated by maps and tools and leery of the learning curve In addition, not all stakeholders will have access to online tools Underserved and low income areas may not have an internet connection or devices such as computers, tablets, and smartphones Second, a model is only so accurate or capable of incorporating and reflecting real-world conditions and potential outcomes from a decision or initiative With UTC prioritization, the goal should not be to create a perfect spatial, socio, and ecological model, but rather to apply a meaningful development process and provide a framework for data-driven decision making and implementation On-the-ground inventories, workshops, and public surveys are still needed to further interpret hot- spot maps and develop strategies Finally, even with tools that are open and available to the public, there will always be a role for tree professionals and urban forest managers While an interactive tool can assist in convening and facilitating groups to make urban natural resource decisions, implementing large-scale planting initiatives successfully requires proper standards and techniques, suitable nursery stock, and maintenance plans for young tree care Without the role of the tree professional, online tools and plans may fail to yield the maximum benefits we seek from strategic urban tree canopy goals Future Research While evidenced anecdotally, it is unclear to what degree organizations benefit by using online tools Do they reach goals more quickly and efficiently, with greater engagement and stewardship, and are better positioned to obtain new funding sources? Can a Return on Investment (ROI) be determined? Will mobile apps impact the cultural and social aspect of urban forestry programs more than other investments? Answers to these questions and other lessons may be gleaned in the future from other tools listed in this paper such as i-Tree Landscape (USDA Forest Service) and Cool-Connect-Absorb (Trust for Public Land), which are beginning to be used by cities for prioritization efforts Many other technologies are emerging and will be the topic of future research A few examples and how they relate to web and mobile mapping applications are listed below    Drones and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) will continue to change urban forest surveys and will be limited more by regulations than by what is technically feasible Inserting a live video feed from a drone directly into tree inventory software is already feasible, just not widely adopted Augmented Reality (AR) is a technology recently brought to consumers through apps such as Pokémon GO AR offers practical, as well as theoretical, applications for improving urban forest management, care, and outreach/education These include longterm tree health monitoring and immersive (even remote) plant identification for educational purposes Other cloud-based, real-time technologies such as smart watches and web dashboards driven by enterprise asset management programs will also continue to drive efficiencies and possibilities Recommendations for Practitioners The following considerations are offered to cities, regional organizations, and other entities looking to develop online urban forestry tools Three categories are used: Planning, Tool Development, and Applications Planning         As with any other planning process, identify as many partners and stakeholders as is feasible Bring together a hybrid of community knowledge and experts from public health, community and economic development, water and natural resources, environmental justice and planning, transportation, and GIS/IT Let the conversation and topics start with community goals, and lead back to how trees are a part of the answer, where they are needed most, and how to it well An inclusive process is more likely to create an engaging tool that reflects local community priorities Early on, define your audience and goals Focus on the messaging of any technical data displayed in the tool, and use language that will resonate to users for greater adoption Avoid recreating the wheel and developing a competing tool; other initiatives may be underway that you are unaware of A new tool could be a poor use of time and resources, and potential users may not know which tool to use for their specific goals It is okay to build the car while driving it sometimes! ; tThe process of developing an online geospatial tool is as important as the data represented in it, which will lead to collaborative decision making The goal is to generate changes to the ecology of cities while building and using a tool Be cautious of “’analysis paralysis’” (creating a perfect model) It can be expensive, may distract from the purpose and desired outcomes, and take so long that data sets become outdated or obsolete (e.g changes in land cover, demographics, etc.) Many communities have limited time to spend on learning or applying new tools (Baldwin 2014) Time-strapped city arborists and environmental nonprofits may prefer solutions and answers to problems rather than a tool to aide in their decision making Is a tool needed? Plan for maintenance, hosting, and continued refinement or updates to data sources Do you have the long-term resources to host a tool, or is a subscription service better for your organization’s capacity? Consider ‘“low hanging fruit’” and projects/efforts with the most visual impact, thus increasing awareness and support to propel an organization and its efforts Tool Development   For UTC prioritization, choose geographic scales that are meaningful to your users and spatial units that are familiar to other policy and planning initiatives (Locke et al 2013) Ask when important data layers will be updated next Verify that the extent of GIS data inputs, such as prioritization criteria, provide full coverage and alignment with your entire project area For example, health data may be available by ZIP code, while water quality data is available by drainage basin, and poverty data is only summarized by neighbourhood or census boundaries    Some data sets will be highly correlated such as income, poverty, and home value These can be aggregated into a single criterion for prioritization Choose what will resonate with your community of users While many raw data inputs exist (e.g soils and slope), search for products that have already been derived by other efforts (e.g unstable slopes at risk from mudslides) Not only can this save time and budget, but it can also link initiatives and stimulates partnerships and collaboration by reusing what other experts have already spent time creating Determine what data and tools are visible by the public versus more advanced users Applications    Provide new partners and audiences with an educational experience on the value of urban forests for our health, wealth, and the environment Include website links about prioritization criteria for users who want to dive into the analysis and numbers Include links to published, peer- reviewed research, if possible Canopy goals can be set based on science, data, and a collaborative planning process, not just political appeal (e.g 40% canopy cover or 1M tree plantings) Use an online tool to direct visitors to learn more about tree benefits and how proper management (tree care) can increase longevity and tree benefits over time Like other valued assets, urban trees require proper planning and management to withstand pressures from urban, suburban, and exurban development as well as pests, diseases, storms, and pollution Technology helps forestry managers and arborists achieve the greatest return on investment from efficiency in their methods to assess, manage, plan, implement, track, and monitor the urban and community forest resource (Hanou 2016) The case studies presented in this article are meant to provide readers with insight into the considerations, applications, and measurable outcomes generated from technology and the organizations’ passion and hard work to achieve their goals The case studies presented in this article are meant to provide readers with insight into the considerations, applications, and measurable outcomes generated from technology and the organizations’ passion and hard work to achieve their goals Explore these websites and tools that are driving urban forest prioritization and outreach:       http://www.batonrougegreen.com/ and https://pg-cloud.com/BatonRougeGreen/ http://www.plantonemillion.org/ and https://pg-cloud.com/PHS https://www.columbus.gov/branch-out/ and https://pg-cloud.com/Columbus/ http://www.kibi.org/ and https://pg-cloud.com/KIB/ http://www.treesandhealth.org/ and http://map.treesandhealth.org/ Plotter LITE is a free online (web and mobile) tree inventory software for smartphones and tablets Visit www.treeplotter.com/lite LITERATURE CITED Baldwin, R., Scherzinger, R., Lipscomb, D., Mockrin, M., & Stein, S (2014) Planning for land use and conservation: Assessing GIS-based conservation software for land use planning Res Note RMRS-RN-70 Fort Collins, CO: U.S Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station 33 p Community Forestry Research and Technology (n.d.) Retrieved March 1, 2017, from http://www.kibi.org/programs/planting-trees/community-forestry/community-forestryresearch-and-technology/ Conniff, R (n.d.) Trees Shed Bad Rap As Accessories to Crime Retrieved March 22, 2017, from http://environment.yale.edu/envy/stories/trees-shed-bad-wrap-as-accessories-to-crime Donovan, G H., Butry, D T., Michael, Y L., Prestemon, J P., Liebhold, A M., Gatziolis, D., Mao, M Y (2013) The Relationship Between Trees and Human Health: Evidence from the Spread of the Emerald Ash Borer American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 44(2), 139-145 Dwyer, J F., Nowak, D J., Noble, M H (2003) Sustaining Urban Forests Journal of Arboriculture, 29(1), XX p Hanou, I S (2016) Technology in Urban Forestry: Web/Mobile Software Applications Society of American Foresters, Forestry Source Hanou, I S., Krutsch, A., Heritsch, M., Radakovich, R., Carlsen, B (2016) Web and Mobile Tree Inventory Software: Case Studies and Considerations Society of Municipal Arborists, City Trees Hauer R J., Peterson, W (2015) Municipal Tree Care and Management in the United States Retrieved February 25, 2017, from http://www.isaarbor.com/events/schedule/resources/167/Hauer_Municipal%20Tree%20Care.pdf Hauer R J., Vogt, J M., Fischer, B C (2015) What is the Cost of Not Maintaining the Urban Forest Arborist News, 24(1), 12-17 Keep Indianapolis Beautiful (n.d.) Retrieved February 23, 2017, from http://www.kibi.org/ Kimball, L L., Wiseman, P E., Day, S D., Munsell, J F (2014) Use of Urban Tree Canopy Assessments by Localities in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Cities and the Environment, 7(2), Article Retrieved March 21, 2017, from http://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/cate/ Locke, D H., Grove, J M., Galvin, M., O'Neil-Dunne, J P M., Murphy, C (2013) Applications of Urban Tree Canopy Assessment and Prioritization Tools: Supporting Collaborative Decision Making to Achieve Urban Sustainability Goals Cities and the Environment, 6(1), Article Retrieved from http://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/cate/vol6/iss1/7/ MillionTreesNYC (n.d.) Retrieved March 23, 2017, from https://www.nycgovparks.org/trees/milliontreesnyc O’Neil-Dunne, J P M (2009) A Report on the City of Baltimore’s Existing and Possible Tree Canopy The Spatial Analysis Lab at the University of Vermont's Rubenstein School of the Environment and Natural Resources (p.5) Retrieved February 25, 2017, from http://www.fs.fed.us/nrs/utc/reports/UTC_Report_BACI_2007.pdf Rao, M., Shandas, V., Rosenstiel, T N., George, L A (in press) Assessing the sensitivity of ambient concentrations of NO2 to land use modification using ensemble data learning International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Commented [KD2]: Could you include page numbers please Shandas, V., Volkel, J., Rao, M., George, L (2016) Opportunities for Reducing Exposure to Degraded Environments: Spatially explicit approaches to assessing local urban air quality and mitigation strategies International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, (13), 790 Volkel, J., Shandas, V., Haggerty, B (2016) High Resolution Descriptions of Urban Heat Islands: A public health imperative Preventing Chronic Disease Wolf, K L (n.d.) Public Value of Nature: Economics of Urban Trees, Parks and Open Space In Design with Spirit: Proceedings of the 35th Annual Conference of the Environmental Design Research Association Retrieved March 22, 2017, from https://www.naturewithin.info/Policy/EDRA_Value.pdf