Communities Taking Action !
for a!
Low Carbon Future – April, 2011
Every Tree Counts
!
Toronto’s urban forest
i-Tree Eco Assessment:
Carbon Storage and Sequestration
Arthur Beauregard, Manager – Urban Forestry Policy and Standards
Every Tree Counts
Outline
•  Background
•  Study methods & results
•  Application
Note: i-Tree was formerly known
as the “UFORE Model”
(Urban Forest Effects)
Is Toronto meeting environmental objectives as they relate
to the urban forest? !
How much canopy do we have?!
i-Tree Eco Studies rationale
•
USDA Forest Service software provides science-based analysis and benefits
assessment tools
•
Eco uses field plots, air pollution and meteorological data to quantify urban forest
structure, environmental effects and value
•
Generates baseline data that can inform management decisions, policy and strategic
planning, international precedents
On-going Canopy Studies
Toronto Urban Forest study part of larger
inventory of cities across North America
and a continuum of cities and regions
along north shore of Lake Ontario.
Toronto Study Elements
In Toronto: i-Tree Eco analysis
•  Field data collection (407 plots)
•  i-Tree Eco data analysis
(USDA)
Automated land cover
classification using 0.6m
satellite imagery
Tree canopy is approximately 20% Goal: Achieve & maintain between 30-40%
*High resolution land cover data now available at toronto.ca/open
Toronto’s urban forest is a vital city asset with a replacement value
of $7 billion.
Carbon Storage and
Sequestration
•  46,700 metric tonnes – gross annual
sequestration. Value= $1.3 Million Cdn
•  36,500 metric tonnes net annual
sequestration
•  1.1 million metric tonnes carbon storage.
Value = $31.6 Million Cdn
•  Project specific carbon offset valuation:
Trees Canada Model
Trees and Energy Savings
•  Shade reduces radiant energy and
therefore cooling costs
•  Transpiration cools air by using solar
energy to convert water to vapour
•  Wind speed reduction reduces heat loss
Tree Energy Facts
•  Net Cooling Effect of a healthy, young tree is the
equivalent of 10 room sized air conditioners for
20 hours/day
•  Trees properly situated around buildings can
reduce air conditioning needs by 30% and can
save 25% in heating energy use
•  Toronto trees reduce energy costs by $9.7
Million annually
•  17,000 metric tonnes of carbon output avoided
annually ($483,600 annually)
Air Pollution Removal
•  Absorbing gaseous pollutants (ozone and
nitrogen dioxide)
•  Intercepting particulate matter
•  Reducing emissions from power
generation
•  Releasing oxygen
•  Reducing air temperature thereby
reducing ozone
1.43 Metric tonnes / year = $16.1 Million Cdn Offsets 19.7% of Toronto’s industrial facility
emissions
Value of Ecological Services Provided
by Toronto’s Urban Forest
Equivalent value = $28 million+ annually
•  Carbon storage = $32 million value
•  Carbon sequestration = $1.3 million annual
benefit
•  Building energy reduction = $9.7 million benefit
•  Avoided carbon emissions = $.5 million benefit
•  Air pollution removed = $16 million
Relative Size Tree Effects
Relative Size Tree Effects
Forest Size Class Structure
Goal: Maintain regeneration, reduce mortality,
increase % mid- to large-size trees
increase
•
•
•
Number of large trees relative to small is low
Have good regeneration, but
Large trees provide maximum benefits
Caring for Older Trees
•  Tree Protection by-laws and public
education
•  Respecting tree roots
•  Respecting tree adaptations
(avoid any changes in condition)
•  Watering trees, especially in
unusually hot conditions/ droughts
Average Annual
mortality planting to
rate
reach cover
goal
Tree population
after 50 years
(Currently = 10.2 Million)
2%
55,000
8 million
3%
200,000
14 million
4%
365,000
19 million
5%
570,000
24 million
6%
800,000
28 million
Planting Efforts!
to Maintain and Grow the Forest
Toronto Urban Forestry plants over 100,000 trees every year
Ownership
60% located on
private property
6% street trees
34% located in City
parks and natural
areas
Private property owners control a majority of the
City’s existing and possible tree canopy.
Distribution of Tree Cover
Goal: More even/equitable distribution of tree cover
Average tree cover
by neighbourhood
•  Distribution of tree cover is uneven
•  Data can be used to prioritize planting areas
Canopy
comparison
Morningside
Albany
Streetscape
comparison
Morningside
Albany
Trees
Planted
Today
Palmerston Boulevard 1908
Grow
Over
Time
Palmerston Boulevard 1920
Creating a
Legacy for
Tomorrow
Palmerston Boulevard 2002
Arthur Beauregard
abeaureg@toronto.ca
study link: http://www.toronto.ca/trees/pdfs/Every_Tree_Counts.pdf