In Brief

The Challenge

The distribution of street trees in most cities worldwide is notably uneven, as evidenced by the body of scientific research. Uneven street tree distribution can lead to social and economic disparities among the communities. 

In Dublin city, excluding the high number of trees present in the Phoenix Park, a majority of the street trees are situated on private properties, particularly in the low-density suburban areas located in the northern and southern regions of the city. In contrast, the density of street trees in the city centre is relatively low, with the exception of public parks.  

Since street trees play a crucial role in the ecosystem by absorbing carbon dioxide, improving air and water quality, reducing the heat island effect, providing shade, increasing property values and providing habitat for wildlife, the uneven distribution of street trees can lead to a lack of these benefits in certain areas, leading to a less healthy environment.  

The Solution

INTERVAL is an INTEgrated stReet tree VALuation based solution for minimising the uneven street tree distribution in cities This research aims to develop a decision support system to increase the street tree density in Dublin City to promote climate neutrality and minimise environmental injustice that originates due to the inequality of street tree distribution.  

The INTERVAL project will  

  • use high-end advanced technologies, including LiDAR and Drone, to conduct a tree density survey in different parts of the city to create a tree inventory database for Dublin and to validate the research challenge.  
  • engage local communities and citizens in co-creating knowledge and incorporating transdisciplinary approaches to gauge their willingness to accept and willingness to pay for improving street tree ecosystem services.  
  • create a prioritised list of areas that need additional street trees to maximize the advantages of enhanced tree canopy coverage. 
  • develop a comprehensive database of the ecosystem services provided by the most common street tree species in Dublin in order to educate the citizens and concerned stakeholders on the vital role street trees play in the city.  
  • collaboratively design and implement an integrated web-based platform that serves as a decision support tool for maintaining a spatial database of the street tree ecosystem services values. 

The Team 

  • Team Lead: Dr Srikanta Sannigrahi, University College Dublin  
  • Team Co-Lead: Dr Anh Vu Vo, Univeristy College Dublin  

Societal Impact Champion 

  • Trevor Clowry, Crumlin Community Cleanup