Migdalia Colon | SUEN 6110!

The East Boston Urban Forest Initiative aims to increase canopy cover in East Boston as a pilot region as part of an overall goal to increase Boston’s tree canopy cover to 40%. The initiative will incorporate dynamic and!

Mission!

innovative green infrastructure as part of an implementation strategy to increase canopy cover. The proposal is for 5,000 trees to be planted in five years. The initiative strategies and best management practices used in this pilot region can help inform ways to better increase and manage Boston’s overall urban forest. !

•  Water pollution!•  Air Pollution!•  Climate Change!•  Energy & Conservation !•  Stewardship!

Issues  &  Challenges:  !

•  East  Boston  Master  Plan  •  Municipal  Harbor  Plan  •  Boston  Parks  Dept  plants  about  1,000  new  street  tress  each  year    

•  Open  Space  Plan  •  Grow  Boston  Greener    •  Greenovate  Boston  

ExisFng  IniFaFves  !

•  MiFgate  storm  water  runoff  •  Improve  water  and  air  quality  •  Create  a  healthier  ecosystem  •  Decrease  urban  heat  island    •  Decrease  energy  consumpFon  •  Create  livable  urban  environment  •  Encourage  community  stewardship    •  Urban  Forest  educaFon  

Principles!

•  Helps  guide  decisions  making  to  create  future  urban  forest  

•  Increase  Canopy  Cover  •  Improve  RelaFonship  of  Nature  and  Built  Environment  

•  OrganizaFons  CollaboraFon  •  Inform  and  Consult  Community  

Strategies!

•  Tree  Inventory  •  Benefit  Analysis  •  Baseline  of  ExisFng  CondiFons  and  Impacts  •  Green  Governance  •  CommiTee  •  ImplementaFon  Master  Plan  •  Development  of  Stewardship  Programs  •  Manage  Urban  Forest  Progress  and  Impacts  

Best  Management  PracFces  

Million Trees Initiative: NYC, NY!

Million Trees Initiative: NYC, NY!

Tree Canopy Gradient Macro!

Urban Forest (Boston Area)!Outside of Boston (Suburban Area)!Highest Tree Canopy Density (Forested Areas)!

Tree Canopy Gradient Micro!

Tree Canopy Gradient Micro!

Tree Canopy Gradient Micro!

Tree Canopy Gradient Micro!

Tree Canopy Gradient Micro!

Tree Canopy Gradient Micro!

Tree Canopy Gradient Micro!

Tree Ecological Benefits!

•  Noise Abatement!•  Increase Psychological Well

Being!•  Improve Aesthetics!•  Increased Property Values!•  Provide Wildlife Habitat!•  Improve health and

wellbeing!!

Storm Water Benefits!•  Capture rain!•  Replenish local groundwater!•  Reduces storm water!•  Releases Oxygen!•  Cools Air!

Air Quality Benefits!•  Remove Pollutants!•  Reduce Emissions and Green

House Gases!•  Lowers Temperature!

Energy Benefits!•  Lower Energy Costs!•  Provides Shade!•  Lowers Temperature!

Carbon Dioxide Benefits!•  Capture and Store CO2!•  Slow Down Climate Change!•  Releases Oxygen!

Street Tree!!Residential Tree!!Park Tree!

Possible Planting Area (Street)!

Possible Planting Area (Street)!Possible Planting Area (Residential)!

Industrial Zone!Commercial Zone!Residential Zone!

Possible Planting Areas!Park Land!

Urban  Forest  IniFaFve  ImplementaFon  

Urban Forest (Boston Area)!!Outside of Boston (Suburban Area)!!Highest Tree Canopy Density (Forested Areas)!

Urban  Forest  IniFaFve  ImplementaFon  

Urban Forest (Boston Area)!!Outside of Boston (Suburban Area)!!Highest Tree Canopy Density (Forested Areas)!

Urban Forest (Boston Area)!!Outside of Boston (Suburban Area)!!Highest Tree Canopy Density (Forested Areas)!

Dynamic Prototype!

Disconnected Public Spaces!

Fragmented Public Space!

Fragmented Public Space!

Slack Buffer Space!

Slack Buffer Space!

Opportunities!

Opportunities!

!• Different Best management practices!

• Tree initiative and Green Infrastructure!• Community engagement!

• Community involvement in projects!• Collaboration with other nonprofits or existing projects!

•  (ie: Boston Complete Streets)!• Ecological systems!

• Storm Water Management: !• capture, slow, cleanse, and infiltrate street runoff. !•  If overflow occurs, goes to next system!

• Analysis of Urban Forest!• Looking at Tree Species Specifics!

• Looking at all benefits:!• Ecological, Economic, Social!

!

Precedent Study Take Backs!

Green Street Project: Portland, OR !

Green Street Project: Portland, OR !

Green Streets: NYC, NY!

Parklet Movement: San Francisco, CA!

Parklet Movement: San Francisco, CA!

Public Space Map!

Public Space Map!

25” Amur Maple !

140 KILOWATT/HR!

PM 10! 10 LBS./YR.!

48 LBS./YR.!C02!

2,847 GAL/YR.!

EVAPOTRANSPIRATION!

GUTTER STORMRUNOFF!

2” WELL-DRAINING SOIL!2” STONE BED!!ROOT BARRIER!!EXISTING SUBSURFACE!

OVERFLOW!TREE GUARD!

CATCH BASIN!

6” STONE BUFFER!

PERCIPITATION!

INFILLTRATION!

O4!

H2O!

Preliminary Prototype – Green Infrastructure!

1 tree absorbs 48 lbs./yr --> 4 lbs./mo. --> .13 lbs./day!!1 tree absorbs 100 - 500 gal/yr. of storm water!

 

Prototype Dynamic!

Communal Node Prototype!

Industrial Area Prototype! Residential Area Prototype!

General Street Tree Prototype!

Prototype Deployment Sketches!

PV Pipe!

Main Sewage Channel!

Catch Basin System!

Planter!Steel Frame!

Permeable Pavers!Structured

Bench!Inlet!Drainage Channel!

8’! 5’! 5’!

3’!

18’’!

10’!

Catch Basin!

Sewer Channel!

Inlet!Root Barrier!

Trench and Catch Basin Connection!

Green Infrastructure and Trench!

Green Infrastructure Sections!