Abstract
UrbanCrowns is a Windows®-based computer program used to assess the crown characteristics of urban trees. The software analyzes side-view digital photographs of trees to compute several crown metrics, including crown height, crown diameter, live crown ratio, crown volume, crown density, and crown transparency. Potential uses of the UrbanCrowns program include monitoring individual tree growth over time, detecting disease or insect damage in early stages, and providing data to quantify tree benefits such as carbon sequestration, rainfall interception, energy conservation, pollution removal, and oxygen production.
Keywords
Crown characteristics,
crown volume,
monitoring,
transparency,
urban forestry,
urban trees
Citation
Winn, Matthew F.; Araman, Philip A.; Lee, Sang-Mook. 2011. UrbanCrowns: an assessment and monitoring tool for urban trees. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-135. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station, 10 p.