BEYOND THE GREEN
TREE DATA From the view above Cedar Rapids you see more than the houses and businesses that line the streets. The city is covered by a layer of leaves and branches that create a canopy providing environmental benefits. This urban forest serves as valuable green infrastructure, the only infrastructure asset that gets more valuable over time.
M
anaging the canopy is difficult without knowing
access the software to look at trees by location to see their
details about the species, size and condition of the
species and condition. The inventory allows the City to be
trees. Last summer, the City partnered with Arbor
proactive in preparing for Emerald Ash Borer by indicating
Systems to conduct an assessment of the right of way trees
the best trees for treatment and helping to create plans to
and provide an inventory to help plan for their future care.
manage ash trees when they begin to fail.
Four crews of certified arborists familiar with Midwest tree species walked each street in Cedar Rapids. Section after
A VALUABLE ASSET
section, they measured the trunk diameter of each tree
It is estimated that the street trees in Cedar Rapids
and documented its size and class. They counted more
provide benefits to the community that are valued at
than 43,000 trees with 17,000 open spaces for additional
over $5 million each year. These benefits include energy
planting and noted the canopy is in very good health.
savings, removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere,
The IT division of the City created a system to manage the tree inventory data. The exact GPS location is available
and increasing attention span. Non-profit Trees Forever
and schedule work more efficiently. The system also
determined for every $1 spent on trees, taxpayers receive
quantifies the financial impact that the forest provides in environmental benefits. Eventually, residents will be able to
OUR CR
improved air quality, increased property values, and health benefits to people by reducing blood pressure and anxiety
so staff can easily identify trees that need attention
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stormwater retention, reduced water treatment costs,
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$4 back in public benefits.
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