Tree Inventories and GIS in Urban Forestry

Planning and managing vegetation in urban areas is complex and can benefit from using computerized tree inventories and Geographic Information Systems. This paper outlines how tree inventories can be use to effectively manage trees in urban areas, to avoid project budget cutbacks, improve the efficiency of an existing program, and to educate and provide information to the public. Urban foresters need to work with other disciplines within a municipality to effectively manage our urban resource. Urban planners, engineers, landscape architects and urban foresters should combine their efforts to maintain, protect, and regenerate the urban forests.