R E S T O R I N G L A’ S
A. Duncan Smith Client: Martin Schlageter, LA Council District 14 Faculty Advisor: Anastasia Loukaitou-Sideris
Historical Review, Cost-Benefit Analysis, Crisis in Los Angeles, GIS Mapping, and Policy Recommendations
2
3
4
Legend CD14
Council_Districts trees 7.500000
7.500001 - 8.900000
8.900001 - 10.700000
10.700001 - 11.900000
Disease
Drought
Damage
Budget Cuts
11.900001 - 13.700000
Percent of Population Living Below 2x the Federal Poverty Level
Legend
Legend
CD14
CD14
Dense Cover
13.700001 - 15.000000
Council_Districts
Council_Districts trees
The spatial arrangement of LA's urban forest is an issue of environmental justice: trees
6
15.000001 7.500001- 15.900000 - 8.900000
2
4
8.900001 - 10.700000
Rio Vist a Santa Fe
e View
N
Campus
0 0.0250.05
0.1
0.1
0.15
0.15
Miles
Miles 0.2 0.2
A. Duncan Smith / Intro to GIS / Winter 2015
0 0.0250.05
23rd
Mateo
24th
0.1
0.1
0.15
0.15
Miles
Miles 0.2 0.2
N
00.025 0.05
0.1
A. Duncan Smith / Intro to GIS / Winter 2015
0.15
Miles 0.2
0
0.1
4. Widen the diversity of tree species 5. Focus on the maintenance of young trees 6. Plant more native and drought-tolerant tree species
N
Miles 0.2 00.025 0.05
Sources: LA County GIS Data Portal
3. Engage the community in tree-related decisions
Sources: http://lareviewofbooks.org/essay/piety-perversity-palms-los-angeles; http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-0417-sidewalks-20140417-story.html; http://www.uniprot.org/taxonomy/5507; http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/02/california-drought-matters-more-just-california; http://coloradopeakpolitics.com/2014/11/17/final-totals-82-million-political-ads-colorado/money-ii/; LA County GIS Data Portal; CalEnvironScreen 2.0; McPherson, E.G. 2008. 'Los Angeles 1-Million Tree Canopy Cover Assessment
Imperial
24th
Caldwell
e View
2. Increase the budget for urban forest management
19.800001 - 22.400000
Washington
Rang
N
0
23rd
Butte
Harriett
2
Minerva
1
1. Amend pruning practices and enforce standards 0
Rio Vista
Rio Vista
0
1.5
16th
Caldwell
Harriett
1
Washington
Butte
Miles
le
Rang
Minerva
nga
0 0.250.5
Miles 2
Modoc
16th
16th
N
Miles
Cori
Cori nga
2
d Bir
r Welle
1
14th
15th
ino
Miles 2
th
Perr
1.5
12 12th
o
0
1
11th
in Perr
0 0.250.5
a
Porter
12 th 11th
Mateo
Modoc
16th
RECOMMENDATIONS: Campus
Santa Cl ara
Imperial
ara
Mateo
Santa Cl Mateo
Coons
ni
Alum
Rio Vist
Mateo
Mateo
ood
rpa
14th
ada
19.800001 - 22.400000
r Welle
12th
s
In order to inform policy and practice recommendations, surveys and interviews were conducted with urban forest managers, horticulturalists, arborists, plant pathologists, landscape architects, forestry researchers, and environmentalist non-profit managers. Final recommendations for urban forest restoration in LA have been determined through a synthesis of historical context, cost-benefit analysis, the causes and effects of the current street tree crisis, program evaluations, and the opinions of local industry experts.
Hunter
Porter
14th
15th
on
Methodology:
7.5
r
11th
N
ni
5
Ente
Olympic
Washington
Alum
0 1.252.5
I-10 e
rpris
Hunte
Porter
Esca
¯
Hunter
Arm
Miles 10
Damon
Enterprise
11th
m
7.5
En
5
Los Angeles County GIS Data Portal; American Community Survey, American Fact Finder, US Census Data 2013
Miles 10
Ente
Porter
Bird
0 1.252.5
Los Angeles County GIS Data Portal.
16.300001 - 19.800000
16.300001 - 19.800000
view
Sources: McPherson, E.G. 2010. Million Trees Los Angeles Canopy Cover and Benefit Assessment;
¯
e Ridg
Why is proper maintenance of the urban forest essential? Street and park trees yield numerous benefits that cannot be replicated by other means. This report divides the benefits of the urban forest into three categories: environmental, economic, and social. The US EPA identifies tree planting as a crucial mitigation measure in limiting the urban heat island effect, especially when plantings are targeted along streets and in parking lots. Ensuring the health and dispersion of trees is an imperative of public health - in addition to lowering city temperatures, trees reduce smog, which is correlated with asthma and respiratory ailments.
Tree Cover and Percent of Population Below 2x the Federal Poverty Level
r Bae
15.900001 - 16.300000
5 7.5 Miles
le ada
* Trees relieve mental fatigue
2.5
d Bir
15.900001 - 16.300000
0
0 1.5 3 6 9 12 Sources: McPherson, E.G. 2010. Million Trees Los Angeles Canopy Cover and Benefit Assessment; Technique: Tree canopy cover data from a scientific journal displayed with graduated colors, from low to high tree canopy cover. A. Duncan Smith / Intro to GIS / Winter 2015
Arm
* Trees beautify the streetscape
Tree Canopy Cover by LA City Council District Miles 10
Coons
15.000001 - 15.900000
N
s
19.800001 - 22.400000
rpa
A. Duncan Smith / Intro to GIS / Winter 2015
¯
nda
ra Jaca
on
9 9
ra
Jaca
m
6 6
s
En
0 01.5 3 3
Miles Miles 12 12
Esca
16.300001 - 19.800000
r
Hunte
14th
pu Cam
nda
Bird
N
s
pu Cam
r
¯ * Trees expose children to nature
15.000001 - 15.900000
* Trees provide a connection to history
Percentage of Tree Canopy Cover by Council District
w
19.800001 - 22.400000
evie
13.700001 - 15.000000
I-10 e
rpris
Enterprise
Olympic
0%-21.5%
15
Addison
Norwalk
Bae
* Trees lower demand for energy
15%-37.2%
15.900001 - 16.300000
21.6%-35.9%
70%-96.5% 15.1%-19.8% Percentage of 19.9%-28.8% Tree Canopy Cover by Council District 28.9%-37.2%
15.000001 - 15.900000
Yon osem Dam ite
Delrosa
Norwalk
Ridg
* Trees protect pedestrians
36%-50.6%
10.8%-15%50.7%-66.9%
13.700001 - 15.000000
Addison
Olson
13.700001 - 15.000000
ite
50.7%-66.9%
36%-50.6% 7.5%-10.7%
7.5%-14.9%
Yose m
Delrosa
Sparse Cover:
Sparse Sparse Industrial District Industrial District Industrial District La Roda
11.900001 - 13.700000
70%-96.5%
Mun son
11.900001 - 13.700000
16.300001 - 19.800000
Dense Eagle Rock Rock Eagle La Roda
Percent Coverage
9
6
0%-21.5% Percent Coverage 21.6%-35.9%
10.700001 - 11.900000
Dense Cover:
Dense Eagle Rock
Olson
Social
3
Miles
47
8.900001 - 10.700000
ood
8 N
Mayw
10.700001 - 11.900000
Mun son
7.500001 - 8.900000
Santa Fe
9
7.500000
* Trees increase property values
* Trees limit wind speed and glare
Tree Cover inTree Council 14 District 14 CoverDistrict in Council
trees
* Trees reduce smog concentration
* Trees promote tourism
14
10
Mayw
10.700001 - 11.900000
CD14
Council_Districts
* Trees limit noise pollution
* Trees provide habitats for wildlife
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e 47
Legend
* Trees reduce energy costs
* Trees extend the life of pavement
13
Watts 7%
15.900001 - 16.300000
* Trees lower city temperatures
* Trees limit erosion of topsoil
5
11
11.900001 - 13.700000
* Trees boost revenue at stores
Bel-Air 37%
3
7.500001 - 8.900000
Economic
Sparse Cover
7
12
7.500000
7.500000
The Far-Reaching Benefits of Urban Trees:
* Trees reduce stormwater runoff
Pruning
Tree Cover and Poverty in Los Angeles Tree Canopy Cover by Council District
8.900001 - 10.700000
Environmental
Old Age
Aven ue
Like most of LA’s street trees, palms are immigrants. Palm trees were introduced to the Southland from the Sonoran Desert and the Canary Islands first for religious purposes, and later in the name of real estate speculation. During the late 19th century, land developers sold the idea of the ‘semi-tropical’ Southland to Middle America, relying on the palm tree to evoke the ‘Eden’ that awaited their arrival. Today, palms are under assult from disease, old age, and environmental critics. Their future along the boulevards of LA is uncertain.
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Street trees in LA are suffering. The urban forest in Los Angeles faces a multi-front attack from drought, disease, and political disinvestment. Post-recession budget cuts decimated LA's Urban Forestry Division, requiring the City to outsource all nonemergency tree care work to private crews, who have delivered poor results while charging record fees. LA's streets are now littered with over-pruned trees, cut well beyond industry standard best practices, which produce little shade and no environmental benefit. California is mired in a historic drought, wreaking havoc on LA's street and park trees. In addition, plant pathogens such as fusarium wilt, PHSB, and bacterial leaf scorch are killing thousands of trees a year in Southern California, and no known treatments exist.
Aven u
1
0.1
0.15
Miles 0.2
0
0.1
Miles 0.2
Sources: LA County GIS Data Portal
Washington