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 * Raleigh Urban Forest Project Home Page**

This wiki is for the use of the [|Natural Resources Measurements] class at [|North Carolina State University].

During the Spring, 2008, semester students in the course will assess the ecological value of Raleigh's urban forest. Visit the [|course project page] for more information.

Faculty coordinator: George Hess, NCSU Graduate assistant: Evan Keto Student coordinator: TBA

This wiki is **open to viewing by anyone on the web** but may be edited by members only. Students will receive invitations to become members during the second or third week of class.

//Note to students:// For examples of how to use this wiki, you might want to take a look at the wiki for the [|Wake County Nature Preserves] effort.

This wiki is administered by [|George Hess] (NC State University). Please [|contact him] with comments, concerns, or to request membership.


 * Assessing Urban Ecosystems: The UFORE Model**

Entire urban forest tree populations can be assessed using UFORE-the Urban Forest Effects model. Developed in the late 1990s by researchers at the USDA Forest Service's Northeastern Research Station in Syracuse, NY, UFORE is a computer model that calculates the structure, environmental effects and values of urban forests.

//What is UFORE?//

UFORE is a computer model that allows researchers to collect data on the entire urban forest and estimate the ecosystem services the resource provides to the community. After tree data are collected and entered into the UFORE database, they are merged with local hourly weather and air pollution concentration data. These data make it possible to calculate structural and functional information using a series of equations. If a complete inventory is conducted (i.e., all trees are measured), then UFORE calculates values for each tree and for the total population. If only a sample is examined (i.e., plots are randomly located within the area of analysis, as in the NCSU study of Raleigh), UFORE calculates estimates for the total population along with estimate error.

The UFORE model is currently designed to provide estimates of:
 * Urban forest structure (e.g., species composition, number of trees, tree density, tree health, etc.), analyzed by land-use type.
 * Hourly amount of pollution removed by the urban forest, and associated percent air quality improvement throughout a year. Pollution removal is calculated for ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and particulate matter (<10 microns).
 * Hourly urban forest volatile organic compound emissions and the relative impact of tree species on net ozone and carbon monoxide formation throughout the year.
 * Total carbon stored and net carbon annually sequestered by the urban forest.
 * Effects of trees on building energy use and consequent effects on carbon dioxide emissions from power plants.
 * Compensatory value of the forest, as well as the value of air pollution removal and carbon storage and sequestration.
 * Tree pollen allergenicity index.
 * Potential effects of pests such as Gypsy moth, emerald ash borer, or Asian longhorned beetle.

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