Tulsa Urban Forest Master Plan August 2016 Progress Report

Progress Report: August 2016

Urban Tree Canopy Assessment Results To evaluate the current state of Tulsa’s urban forest, Up With Trees contracted with Davey Resource Group to assess the amount of tree canopy that currently exists and the amount that could exist in Tulsa County. Tree Canopy can be defined as the extent of the outer layer of leaves of an individual tree or group of trees.

Below are some results from the assessment*: Tulsa County encompasses a total area of 391,148 acres with 29% covered by tree canopy.

There are 196,895 acres considered to be potentially plantable areas (bare soil, grass and low vegetation).

85.5% of Tulsa County’s tree canopy is in fair to very good condition.

Tulsa County has the potential to support 61% overall canopy cover.

Table 12. Historic and Projected Land Cover in Tulsa County (%)

Land Cover

1995

2005

2010

2015

Projected 2020

Tree Canopy

27.7%

27.7%

29.4%

28.8%

28.3%

Impervious

13.0%

14.9%

16.4%

16.9%

17.5%

Grass/Low-Lying Vegetation

54.3%

50.9%

48.9%

48.5%

48.1%

Bare Soil

2.0% 3

Water

3.0%

.1% 3.4%

1.4% 1 3.9%

.8%

2.3%

3.9%

3.9%

*Find the full report at upwithtrees.org/trees-signs/master-plan/

Urban Tree Canopy Assessment Results Continued To prioritize tree planting sites as the development phase of the Urban Forest Master Plan concludes, the technology provided by the Urban Tree Canopy Assessment will be utilized to determine preferred planting areas in Tulsa County. These areas are prioritized based on greatest return on investment, which is calculated by factors related to stormwater interception, urban heat islands, and environmental need.

HOW TREES AFFECT RETURN ON INVESTMENT: Stormwater Management: Trees intercept rainfall in their canopies, which reduces and prolongs storm events to minimize pressure on stormwater infrastructure and reduce groundwater contaminants.

Urban Heat Islands: Trees reduce urban heat island effects by providing shade for heat-retaining land surfaces and deflecting radiation from the sun and heat-generating activities.

Environmental Need: Trees planted in areas with canopy gaps, high populations, and floodplains reduce fragmentation, air pollutants and water contaminants.

GATHERING THE DATA

June 8, 2016 Community Meeting June 8, 2016 Up With Trees hosted a community meeting at Oklahoma State University Tulsa.

Attended by 41 Tulsa residents, the evening began with a public preview of what is to come in the Tulsa Urban Forest Master Plan. After the presentation, there was opportunity for attendees to express their views on the priorities of Tulsa’s urban forest, as well as discuss concerns, recommendations and implementation of the Master Plan.

The following are some highlights from their feedback.

Participants felt that Tulsa urban forest’s greatest need is better maintenance and care, followed by community education.

Participants expressed interest in street tree protection within the Inner Dispersal Loop - Tulsa’s downtown.

Participants encouraged priority for planting locations in zones and city streets with less than 10% canopy, followed by low income areas.

In regards to Tulsa’s tree canopy goals, the majority of participants supported a minimum canopy goal by Council District and no net loss citywide.

First Draft of Master Plan Available for Public Input!

Visit upwithtrees.org/trees-signs/master-plan/ to review the 1st Draft of the Tulsa Urban Forest Master Plan and for details on how to share your comments/questions.