Canopy Analytics
An Interactive Resource for Tree Discovery in the Portland Metro Area
Jackson Voelkel, Geospatial Research Analyst |
SUPR Lab | Portland State University
Portland Metro Area Trees
Important questions:
- How do we measure these trees?
- What trees are important (what is 'important', and to who)?
- How do we identify trees most in need of preservation?
... without climbing each one!
~180' up a 270' Douglas Fir
LiDAR
- Airborne Laser Scanning/Mapping
- ~12 points/m² on flat surface
- ~21cm point spacing
- ~63,600,000,000 (63.6 Billion) points in most recent flight
- Digital Elevation Model (DEM)
- Digital Surface Model (DSM)
- Digital Height Model (DHM)
- Canopy Density * Height (CDM or "Biomass")
Incoming solar radiation (insolation) measured with and without Canopy
Toggle trees on/off [click and hold]
Exploring the Urban Forest
46ft
Portland State University
Source: Portland State University Archives (1962)
Portland State University
Source: Portland State University Archives (1975)
Portland State University
Source: Portland State University Archives (1978)
Arnold Creek
212ft | 4 of 11 Private 200ft+ trees | Street View
Steps:
- Identify every tree crown.
Toggle tree crowns on/off [click and hold]
Steps:
- Identify every tree crown.
- Describe each tree crown.
Machine Learning-derived evergreen/deciduous classification (~90% accuracy). Collaboration with Metro. Open Data.
Informing Statistical Models with Tree Data
Air quality - NO2 Modeling
Rao, M., George, L. A., Rosenstiel, T. N., Shandas, V., & Dinno, A. (2014). Assessing the relationship among urban trees, nitrogen dioxide, and respiratory health. Environmental Pollution, 194, 96-104.
Urban Heat Islands
Multi-temporal traverse-based modeling
Predictive Heat Surfaces Estimated with Machine Learning Alogrithms
Assessing the Role of Canopy in Temperature Reduction
In the City of Portland we see trees alone reducting the temperature in localized areas by up to 15°F!
Current Progress of UHI Research
Initial processing of Portland Metropolitan Area UHI model. Finalized version expected by November 2016.
Current Progress of UHI Research
Initial processing of Portland Metropolitan Area UHI model. Finalized version expected by November 2016.
The Canopy Analytics Tool
We know where all of the trees are!
What do we hope to accomplish?
- Increase public knowledge of the impact of trees.
- Educate policy makers to the connections trees have to the environment
- Nominate for Herritage Tree status that play major roles in:
- Reduction in the Urban Heat Island Effect
- Reduction in air pollutants
Future research
- More modeling!
- Tree species descriptions
- Explore the relationships between tree type and Air Quality / UHI
- New LiDAR: change detection
- permitted removals
- ... non-permitted removals
- Move beyond the Portland Metropolitan Area