How to apply the i-Tree Eco in the tropical region?

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joanabana
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Jul 27, 2021 2:44 am
Location: Ethiopia

How to apply the i-Tree Eco in the tropical region?

Post by joanabana »

Dears,
I would like to use this interesting software to estimate the benefits (Pollution removal, Carbon Sequestration and Storage, and avoided runoff) of the green infrastructure of one of the urban centers in Africa. How the results for these benefits being estimated based on the USA or other available locations with climate types different from the tropics are reliable?
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Regards,
Erika.Teach
Posts: 66
Joined: Fri Feb 12, 2016 2:59 pm

Re: How to apply the i-Tree Eco in the tropical region?

Post by Erika.Teach »

Hello,

The i-Tree software benefits estimates are based on the best science we have available to us. In doing a Canopy project for a location that is not included in that tool users will choose a proxy location that has similar precipitation and polution levels to their project location.

Best regards, Erika
joanabana
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Jul 27, 2021 2:44 am
Location: Ethiopia

Re: How to apply the i-Tree Eco in the tropical region?

Post by joanabana »

Dear i-Tree Teams,
To convert the precipitation interception into an annual process, the hourly precipitation (m) needs to be converted to volume (m3) by multiplying by the area covered by vegetation (VA [m 2])]) - where VA (m 2) is the area covered by vegetation. This process can be determined based on Nowak and Greenfield (2002) conducted in the United State - "assumed that 25.5% urban area across the contiguous United States is impervious cover and 74.5% is the previous cover". However, this coverage proportion may not be similar to the urban area out of the US. So, can I still use this coverage proportion to determine the annual runoff avoided by the urban forest of my project area in the tropical region?
Regards,
Jason.Henning
i-Tree Team
Posts: 341
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2012 7:45 am

Re: How to apply the i-Tree Eco in the tropical region?

Post by Jason.Henning »

It is up to you, the user, to determine if this assumption is valid in your location. If you do not think this assumption is valid for your location you can use your own runoff rates within i-Tree Canopy. You can edit these values by going to the "Regional Settings" under the "Configuration" settings. Then, turn off the "Use benefits from selected locations" toggle and click on the editing tool beneath the table to enter editing mode and enter your own values.
It is completely up to the user, in all cases, to determine if the models and values used within any of the i-Tree tools are applicable to their local conditions. This is even more true when the models are being used outside of the regions where the models were developed, or where no local input data was used in the model creation or parameterization.
Thanks,
Jason
A member of the i-Tree Team
joanabana
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Jul 27, 2021 2:44 am
Location: Ethiopia

Re: How to apply the i-Tree Eco in the tropical region?

Post by joanabana »

Thank you for your prompt responses. Sorry for the confusion. My question was not on the i-Tree canopy, rather on the i-Tee Eco-based avoided runoff calculation procedures according to the guideline by (Hirabayashi, 2013). Can I still edit the runoff factors within the i-Tree Eco, like what is possible to modify in the i-Tree canopy to localize the model?
Jason.Henning
i-Tree Team
Posts: 341
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2012 7:45 am

Re: How to apply the i-Tree Eco in the tropical region?

Post by Jason.Henning »

Sorry, it is not possible to edit the avoided runoff rates in i-Tree Eco. You can create your own models or adjustments outside of i-Tree Eco if you find that the i-Tree Eco assumptions are not valid for your project. Further, you may want to estimate the real impervious cover ratios for your location to see how far they deviate from the i-Tree modeling assumption. You could accomplish this with i-Tree Canopy. Further, you could create scenarios in i-Tree Hydro comparing the avoided runoff rates using the assumed impervious cover ratio and your local impervious cover ratio to see what impacts they may have on avoided runoff estimates.
-Jason
A member of the i-Tree Team
joanabana
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Jul 27, 2021 2:44 am
Location: Ethiopia

i-Tree Eco Forecasting

Post by joanabana »

Dear sir/madam,
I need to forecast the structure and function of urban trees in each stratum of my project area for the next 50 years considering the annual tree planting and mortality rate of the study area.

A) Under the Mortality Rates
1. The default "Annual mortality rate" is 10%. What should be my basis to change this default annual mortality rate? Should the annual mortality rates need to be changed as the type of stratum changes?
2. "Percent of Starting Population?" What does it mean with this variable?

B) Under the "Tree to Plant"
1. What should be my basis to determine the annual number of trees to be planted every year?
2. Start Planting Year - Should this be changed as the type of stratum changes?

Thanks.
Jason.Henning
i-Tree Team
Posts: 341
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2012 7:45 am

Re: How to apply the i-Tree Eco in the tropical region?

Post by Jason.Henning »

These questions were also submitted by email and answered there. Please note that the same tech support team members monitor all of the i-Tree support channels including the forum and the info@itreetools.org email. Asking the same question in multiple places requires more time from our team members slowing responses to your questions and those of other users.
Thanks for understanding.
-Jason
A member of the i-Tree Team
Jason.Henning
i-Tree Team
Posts: 341
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2012 7:45 am

Re: How to apply the i-Tree Eco in the tropical region?

Post by Jason.Henning »

i-Tree Eco can and has been used in a number of tropical locations including The Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Vietnam, Taiwan, and many others. In recent years we have incorporated a number of tropical biomass equations in i-Tree Eco that users working in tropical locations will have access to during project set-up. If your location is not yet incorporated in i-Tree Eco you may need to submit a new location along with the associated data through our i-Tree Database portal, https://database.itreetools.org/.
Thanks,
Jason
A member of the i-Tree Team
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