Gulf Coast Urban Ecosystem Analysis

Click Here

Carolina Piedmont Green Report

Click Here

State Report

New York, 2004

Summaries of American Forests' Urban Ecosystem Analyses

Bellevue, Washington (October 2008 Miami-Dade County, Florida (May 2008 Palm Beach County, Florida (July 2007) Flower Mound, TX(Nov 2006) Detroit & SE Michigan (May 2006) Jacksonville, FL (March 2005) Montgomery, AL (July 2004) San Antonio, Texas (August, 2003) San Diego, California (July, 2003) San Diego Report Details, California (July, 2003) Buffalo, New York (June, 2003) Delaware Valley Region / Philadelphia (March, 2003) Mecklenburg County, North Carolina (March, 2003) Knox County, Tennessee (December, 2002) San Antonio, Texas (November, 2002) Atlanta, Georgia (October, 2002) Fayettville, Arkansas (September, 2002) Roswell, Georgia (August, 2002) New Orleans, Louisiana (August, 2002) Roanoke, VA (June 2002) Charlottesville, VA/Harrisburg, PA (February, 2002) Washington, DC Metro Area (February, 2002) Willamette/Lower Columbia Region of Northwestern Oregon and Southwestern Washington State (October, 2001) Atlanta, Georgia (August, 2001) Front Range, Colorado (April, 2001) Houston, Texas (Dec. 2000) Forest Park, Georgia (July 2000) Union City, Georgia (July 2000) Garland, Texas (July 2000) Chesapeake Bay region (March 1999) Puget Sound region (July 1998) Washington, DC (Nov. 1999) Chattanooga, TN (Aug. 1999) Roanoke, VA (July 1999) Canton-Akron, OH (Feb. 1999) UEA's Available in PDF Only.

Download a free viewer.

American Forests is assessing urban forests across the country. We have developed a process called Urban Ecosystem Analysis (UEA) to map the structure of a land area. The UEA process involves a technical analysis of satellite data, the application of computer software called Geographic Information Systems of which includes a software application we developed called CITYgreen, a through knowledge of urban ecology and the ability to apply the science and engineering principals developed by experts to the Urban Ecosystem Analysis process.

The UEA process can be divided into Regional Ecosystem Analyses a technique that uses Landsat Satellite images, allowing the comparison of landcover over time, and Green Layer Analysis which uses data from high resolution satellites to detail a tree canopy layer accurately enough to be used on a daily basis by local government to make management decisions

Our UEAs have been conducted for 10 years and have documented a disturbing trend- urban areas are losing their trees at an alarming rate while impervious land covers like roads, have been increasing rapidly. Many city leaders don't realize this tree loss is costing them billions of dollars in ecological services like stormwater management.

Fortunately, the tools we are using to identify the problem also offer hope of solutions. When city managers measure the extent and value of their urban forests, they've taken the first important step. Communities can use this information to examine development and zoning requirements. Planners and builders can test design scenarios and measure the potential impact on trees, open space, the environment and ultimately their communities' livability.

Learn about cities that have used this knowledge to build ecosystem services of trees into their public policies and programs.