Urban trees are valuable community assets that provide a multitude of environmental benefits which improves the immediate environment for everyone who lives in a community. Trees remove carbon dioxide and air pollutants from the atmosphere and in return, produce oxygen required for life. Trees serve as a carbon sink by removing atmospheric carbon and storing it in their trunks, branches, leaves and roots. The canopies throughout a community filter the air by removing dust and particulate matter, and deflects the impact of rainfall by washing those collected pollutants to the ground allowing it to be absorbed into the soil.
The trees that are growing near buildings help to moderate the impact of seasonal weather conditions by cooling the building surfaces with the shade of their canopies in the hot weather and serving as a windbreak in cold weather in turn reducing heating costs. The trees that are planted adjacent to the hardscape surfaces help to reduce the heat island effect caused by asphalt and concrete. This helps to reduce energy consumption for air conditioning and reduces water usage for urban landscapes and greenbelts.
Like any other asset owned by a public agency or private community, the care and management of its trees requires a systematic process. Tree management is the combination of effective management, adequate funding levels and efficient logistics applied with the required level of service in the most cost-effective manner. Developing an urban forest management plan addresses the long-term management of community trees through recommended best management practices that addresses the community’s needs.
Long Range Planning
Warriner Associates have produced long range urban forest master plans for municipalities and private communities. Our leadership experience in the field of urban forestry enables us to work effectively with elected officials and community stakeholders. Our approach to long range urban forest planning involves educating the public about the complexities of tree physiology and how a well-managed urban forest with healthy and structurally stable trees benefits their community.
Tree Risk Management Programs
Warriner Associates are Qualified Tree Risk Assessors through the International Society of Arboriculture. Our approach to risk management takes in to account the level of risk each tree poses and considers the impact they can have on the public and the community. Our tree risk assessments include thorough recommendations for practical mitigation.
Tree Inventories
Tree inventories are a written and graphically represented tree inventory that is used to create a multi-year maintenance plan for an urban forest. Each tree is inspected and geocoded with inventory data and incorporated into a tree location map. Tree inventories show exact tree locations, the species diversity, their growth habit, the potential risk they pose, their life expectancy, maintenance requirements and any potential pests or diseases that may pose a threat. Tree inventory data is the key component for determining short and long term budget forecasts.
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