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Climate forecasting, climate-resistant tree species selection, and urban canopy planning for a small, semi-arid city

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dc.contributor.authorBuchholz, Natalie S., author
dc.contributor.authorKlein, Julia, advisor
dc.contributor.authorBoone, Randall, committee member
dc.contributor.authorOcheltree, Troy, committee member
dc.date.accessioned2023-08-28T10:27:52Z
dc.date.available2023-08-28T10:27:52Z
dc.date.issued2023
dc.description.abstractGlobally, there is an increasing shift from rural to urban living, with major implications for the ecosystem services provided by these ecological systems and profound effects on the human communities that continue to migrate to them. Urban canopies and the development of green spaces in the urban environment can mitigate some of the negative effects of urban living such as high Urban Heat Indices (UHI), poor air quality, loss of emotional support from nature, and loss of sense of place. However, the poleward shift of climate envelopes due to climate change will eventually lead to urban canopy collapses as street trees become less suited to their environment. In chapter one of this thesis, I explore this shift and climate-change resistant tree species selections by using WorldClim's current (1971-2000), SSP126 (low emissions) and SSP585 (high emissions) scenarios to generate climate envelope projections for the City of Fort Collins, Colorado in the years 2061-2080. I collected recommended street tree lists from cities that currently exhibit future climate conditions in Fort Collins (hereafter, reference cities) and compared them to the current city of Fort Collins' recommended street tree list. I identified 15 shade trees that have already undergone testing by CSU arborists and are appropriate for immediate planting in Fort Collins, Colorado – these 15 shade tree species comprise the Future Fort Collins Recommended Street Tree list. I identified an additional 21 shade tree species that still require CSU arborist testing for planting suitability – these 21 shade tree species comprise the Future Fort Collins Recommended Street Tree-Test list. The Future Fort Collins Recommended Street Tree and Future Fort Collins Recommended Street Tree-Test lists will inform street tree diversity and planting strategies for the City of Fort Collins, CO, and provide a brief list of species that need further suitability testing by foresters and arborists along the Front Range. Chapter two of this thesis aims to address current canopy inequities in Fort Collins, Colorado, by examining patterns in the city's overall land cover distribution, as well as the built environments and policies that limit canopy expansion. Here I explore canopy and land cover in four census blocks that are at least 25% Hispanic and have a median household income of less than $40k per year. I further dissect these four census blocks into smaller study areas based on zoning type as designated by the City of Fort Collins and Larimer County Assessor's Office. Using a combination of satellite observation and I-Tree canopy analyses I hope to, 1) identify patterns in land and canopy cover across zoning types, and 2) identify factors in the built environment and written policy that limit urban canopy growth in the City of Fort Collins, Colorado. Results will inform canopy care and planting strategies as the city moves to create its first Urban Forest Strategic Plan in the coming years.
dc.format.mediumborn digital
dc.format.mediummasters theses
dc.identifierBuchholz_colostate_0053N_17894.pdf
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10217/236820
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherColorado State University. Libraries
dc.relation.ispartof2020-
dc.rightsCopyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright.
dc.subjectforestry analysis
dc.subjecturban ecology
dc.subjectclimate change
dc.subjecturban forestry
dc.subjectforestry planning
dc.titleClimate forecasting, climate-resistant tree species selection, and urban canopy planning for a small, semi-arid city
dc.typeText
dcterms.rights.dplaThis Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights (https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/). You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
thesis.degree.disciplineEcology
thesis.degree.grantorColorado State University
thesis.degree.levelMasters
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Science (M.S.)

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