Compensatory value of urban trees in the United States

David J. Nowak; Daniel E. Crane; John F. Dwyer

Treesearch

Compensatory value of urban trees in the United States

Informally Refereed

Authors:

David J. Nowak, Daniel E. Crane, John F. Dwyer

Year:

2002

Type:

Scientific Journal

Station:

Northern Research Station

Source:

Journal of Aboriculture. 28(4): 194-199.

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Abstract

Understanding the value of an urban forest can give decision makers a better foundation for urban tree namagement. Based on tree-valuation methods of the Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers and field data from eight cities, total compensatory value of tree populations in U.S. cities ranges from $101 million in Jersey City, New Jersey, to $6.2 billion in New York, New York. Compensatory values represent compensation to owners for the loss of an individual tree an can be viewed as the value of the tree as a structural asset. Based on national urban forest tree cover data, the total compensatory value for the urban forests of the 48 adjacent United States is estimated at $2.4 trillion.

Keywords

urban forestry, urban forest value

Citation

Nowak, David J.; Crane, Daniel E.; Dwyer, John F. 2002. Compensatory value of urban trees in the United States. Journal of Aboriculture. 28(4): 194-199.