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Metro Vancouver Tree Canopy Research

FLASHBACK TO 2012: “Given the huge knowledge bases that the sciences have built up around the hydrology of urban watersheds, it can come as a surprise when we realize how little is known about some of the basics. The urban tree canopy is an example,” stated (the late) Dr. Charles Rowney, Scientific Authority, when the Partnership for Water Sustainability announced the addition of a Tree Canopy Module to the Water Balance Model


“Tree canopy interception of rainfall is a technical area where the fundamentals are well understood, but the empirical basis, the availability of actual observations, is still in its infancy. When it comes to the urban canopy, we just don’t have a lot to go on. Considering the importance of urban trees, we’re not sure why this knowledge gap has persisted. But when we began our research, it quickly became clear that there is a lot to learn about some of things that are important in dealing with the tree canopy. And it became just as clear that we had to improve the science,” stated the late Dr. Charles Rowney.

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Rainfall Interception in an Urban Environment: Results of UBC Tree Canopy Research published


“The results showed that urban trees intercept and evapotranspire more rain than trees in forested environments. Together with the delay in runoff trees can act as an effective rainwater management tool on individual properties,” stated Yeganeh Asadian. “We applied a unique methodology for measuring rain/throughfall under 54 different urban trees using a system of PVC pipes hung beneath the canopy to capture the throughfall where it drained into a rain gauge attached to a data logger.”

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A New Approach in Measuring Rainfall Interception by Urban Trees in Coastal British Columbia


“Interception loss plays an important role in controlling the water balance of a watershed, especially where urban development has taken place. The aim of the research project was to illustrate the importance of urban trees as a form of ‘green infrastructure’ where they reduce rainwater runoff and rainwater intensity. In addition, trees cause a delay in precipitation reaching the ground,” stated Dr. Markus Weiler. Interception losses calculated for urban trees were approximately twice as great as those calculated for trees within natural forest stands.

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British Columbia Urban Forest Research Project brings ‘tree canopy science’ to rainwater management


Tree canopy interception accounts for storing precipitation temporary in the canopy and releasing it slowly to the ground and back to the atmosphere. This interception may account for up to 35% of gross annual precipitation. According to Dr. Dan Moore, the project purpose is to provide planners, developers and municipal engineers with the tools and research they need to approach rainwater management in a more integrated and sustainable manner. The project results are showcased on a website that will be maintained by UBC. The website provides a complete inventory of the 60 tree canopy climate stations installed across Vancouver’s North Shore.

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Story of the UBC Tree Canopy Interception Research Project


“The project is precedent-setting, both in terms of the research scope and the coalition of funders. The Province of British Columbia, the Greater Vancouver Regional District, and the Real Estate Foundation of British Columbia funded the project start-up. When the University of British Columbia recently obtained a research grant from the Canadian Water Network, this brought a national focus to the project,” stated Kim Stephens. While considerable research has been undertaken in forest stands in the natural environment, very little has been done in an urban setting anywhere in North America.

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University of British Columbia Brings Rainwater Management Science into the Community


Clovelly-Caulfeild in West Vancouver is the first North Shore neighbourhood to step forward and participate in the UBC Tree Canopy Interception Research Project. “The community volunteers are excited to play a part in this project. This on-the-ground research by UBC will inform the neighbourhood planning process by bringing science into the discussion of the role that trees play in the urban environment,” stated Paddy Sherman. Clovelly-Caulfeild is distinguished from most other West Vancouver neighbourhoods because it has a recorded history that dates back to the late 1800s.

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District of North Vanouver Partners with North Shore Association for the Mentally Handicapped to build Tree Canopy Climate Stations


“The program  involves placing wooden monitoring stations. The Real Estate Foundation grant is what really allowed us to venture into the community and establish this relationship with ARC Woodworking,” said Richard Boase. “We were able to go to ARC Woodworking with a rather unique and weird-looking contraption and they immediately said ‘Yes we can help you’. They have been great to work with I am sure we will be working together in the future,” stated Richard Boase. The unique nature of the project equipment, combined with the timing, required the District to look outside for assistance with assembly.

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Real Estate Foundation of British Columbia provides funding for Tree Canopy Research


“Our Governors have supported development of the Water Balance Model because this on-the-ground tool fits with the Foundation’s mission to support sustainable real estate and land use practices for the benefit of British Columbians,” stated Tim Pringle. it was a grant from the Foundation in 2003 that made it possible to immediately make the Water Balance Model an Internet-accessible tool. This research will directly inform urban planning and will be used to populate the model with performance data for rainfall interception by the tree canopy in an urban forest..

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University of British Columbia Undertakes Tree Canopy Research Project to Support Water Balance Model


“There is a greater heterogeneity of tree species and spatial dimensions (height and structure) and trees are generally more isolated, with large distances between them. Hence, we can expect different interception processes, whereby evaporation changes, microclimate gradients change due to variations in leaf surfaces and stem surface areas, and wind associated rainfall can change the throughfall distribution and ratio between stemflow and interception,” stated Dr. Hans Schreier.

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Partnership with University of British Columbia leads to development of ‘Tree Canopy Module’ for Water Balance Model


“For the past three years we have been educating practitioners and others on the importance of soil depth as a rainwater management tool. Looking ahead, implementation of the Tree Canopy Module is the first step in developing a similar science-based understanding regarding the benefits of maintaining a tree canopy in the urban environment,” stated Ted van der Gulik. While considerable research has been undertaken in forest stands in the natural environment, very little has been
done in an urban setting anywhere in North America.

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