Urban Forest Strike TeamTeam Leader Training

Data Collection Methods

Providence Forge, VAJuly 14-15, 2008

Data Collection Methods

Protocol Paper Electronic

SDAP Preferred Difficult

Risk Assessment

(time sensitive)As needed Preferred

Tree Planting

(no rush usually)As needed Preferred

Data Collection Methods

Method Pro Con

Paper

Intuitive

Flexible

Quick to set-up

Quick data collection (up front)

Legibility issues

Data entry time (back end)

Reporting concerns

Electronic

One-time data entry

Output easily read

Files easily stored/recovered

Requires training to use

Rigid structure

Time needed to set-up

Paper Data Collection Forms

Protocol Paper Format Notes

SDAP EstablishedBased on FEMA criteria

Risk Assessment

Highly variableBased on community needs

Tree Planting Highly variableBased on community needs

Risk Assessment• Requirements

– Species (genus)– DBH– Physical address– Remove/prune– Justification– Immediate action– Not storm related– Notes

• Variables– “from street”/”to street”– Location on property– Public/private– Inspect further– Corrective prune– Cable/brace– Others

Tree Planting Site

• Requirements– Physical address– Tree lawn size– Utilities present– Tree type– Notes

• Variables– Location on property– Public/private– Signage present– Other

SDAP data entry and reporting exercise

W. Church St. ABlack Bottom Rd. Main St.

ROW=30

1 6/27/08Length = 600 ft.

Community ValuesFor Williamsburg, VA

Total street miles = 4Removal cost/hr = $75Pruning cost/hr = $75

Brush cost/cu yd = $15

Electronic Data Collection

• Data can be collected on:– Personal Digital Assistant (PDA’s)

• i-Tree software, Pendragon, mobile Excel

– Data recorders / field PC’s (Allegro CX)• Spreadsheet application

– Data recorders fitted with GPS antennae• Data dictionary, spreadsheet

– GPS units (i.e. Trimble, Landmark, etc.)• Data dictionary, forms, features

Data Dictionaries

• Trimble’s name for a way to specify what is at a spatial location

• Data dictionaries use attributes to describe features

• Feature – the thing you are locating spatially (a tree, a trail, an area)

• Attribute – the things that describe that feature

Data Dictionaries

• Features– Tree

– Planting site

• Attributes– Species– DBH– Remove?

– Tree lawn– Utilities?– Tree type

Attributes describe Features

Feature

Attributes

ArcMap Street and Tree layers

Creating a Data Dictionary

Think of your data dictionary as a paper data sheet

Feature

Attributes

Creating a Data Dictionary Using GPS Pathfinder Office

Menu

Displays drop-down box showing only specific attributes that you designate

Use this if you have certain tree species you want to capture, relatively few streets that you are working, or any time you will have repeatable entries

Numeric

Displays only numbers on the data field

Use this for tree id’s, street addresses, diameters, etc.

Text

Displays only text in the data field

Use this for street names, species codes, notes, etc.

Attribute types