California Center for Sustainable Energy

Biometric database merges official municipal tree inventories with citizen input on local trees

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (Feb. 16, 2012) - An interactive map that displays and quantifies the ecological and economic benefits of trees in urban areas of San Diego County will be available online beginning March 1. The map, a project of the California Center for Sustainable Energy ( CCSE), will help city planners, landscape architects and others to better assess future growth and planting opportunities as well as tracking the health and value of specific trees and clusters of trees in defined areas.

"This truly is a community project to understand the impacts of trees, from conserving water and cleaning the air to saving energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” said Robin Rivet, CCSE’s urban forester. “We hope that over time, citizens will enter additional trees from residences, parks, schools and other public and private areas."

A workshop introducing the San Diego County Tree Map will be held on Thursday, March 1, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at CCSE’s Energy Resource Center, 8690 Balboa Ave., in Kearny Mesa. Various aspects of the mapping project will be explained, and participants can learn how to measure trees and enter them into the database. For further information and registration, go to www.energycenter.org/forestry or call (858) 244-1177. The tree map will be online at www.sandiegotrees.org.

The tree map is currently populated with data on more than 300,000 trees from 13 San Diego County cities, and CCSE is encouraging residents to enter tree information as a means of gathering further data countywide.

Anyone can add trees in their yards or neighborhoods to the map, and the website will compute a tree’s ecosystem values in terms of gallons of storm water intercepted, pounds of air pollutants removed and kilowatt-hours of energy conserved. Resources are available on the website that demonstrate how to measure trees and that assist in identifying tree species.

Each tree in the map is assigned a specific number and profile page that lists its name, physical measurements, condition and other parameters from which the tree’s yearly ecosystem impacts are calculated and given a dollar value. Map users can search for specific species in any location in the county. Users can also add photos of trees, make comments and update tree information.

In addition to environmental benefits, studies have shown that urban trees also improve public health, increase property values, lower crime and attract customers to business locations, according to Rivet.

The tree map is a customized Google Maps-based application employing advanced biometric software developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Pacific Southwest Research Station.

The San Diego County Tree Map was created as part of CCSE’s Advice and Technical Assistance Center for Urban Forestry, which is funded by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The center promotes the many benefits of trees and landscaping as means for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and conserving water and energy resources in the region through educational programs, outreach and a public visitor's center at CCSE.