Grantee Research Project Results
Sustaining Urban Villages: iTree Urban Forestry Census Project
EPA Grant Number: F07P40236Title: Sustaining Urban Villages: iTree Urban Forestry Census Project
Investigators: Doso, Akosua
Institution: Spelman College
EPA Project Officer: Lee, Sonja
Project Period: July 16, 2007 through April 16, 2009
Project Amount: $41,500
RFA: GRO Fellowships for Undergraduate Environmental Study (2007) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Academic Fellowships
Objective:
The project will increase the understanding of city trees and the reduction of harmful air pollutants. This project focuses on members of underrepresented groups to raise awareness by providing iTree training and empirical data collected in the urban forest as well as direct interaction with urban ecosystems. The project involves some of Atlanta’s college and university students working along with Atlanta public school students in the Sustaining Urban Villages Outdoor Activity Center’s educational program. Before conducting the tree census, students will be educated about the pollution reduction capabilities of trees and the importance of trees in a city environment. Next the students will participate in an informal geoscience program by using iTree, PDAs and GPS technology to conduct a tree census of Atlanta’s city trees. This study will focus on Atlanta’s tree canopy reduction. The project’s goal is in alignment with the Georgia Forestry Commission’s five year initiative to increase awareness of the value of urban trees in the environment. This project will not only increase awareness, but the students will work to determine the causes for tree depletion in Atlanta’s metropolitan area (i.e. residential development, lumber, government cutting, etc). Finally the students will be responsible for developing a proposal for methods of replenishing the City of Atlanta’s green space and city tree count. This may include letter writing to government officials, volunteer work, or students organizing on campus.
Supplemental Keywords:
Sustainable Industry/Business, RFA, Scientific Discipline, Technology for Sustainable Environment, Forestry, Sustainable Environment, Ecology and Ecosystems, environmental sustainability, sustainable urban environment, sustainable forestry, sustainable development, air pollutants, land useProgress and Final Reports:
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.