District of North Vancouver Partnered with University of British Columbia to Quantify Benefits of Tree Canopy Interception
Initiative Supported Enhancement of Water Balance Model
“In 2006, the District of North Vancouver and the University of British Columbia (UBC) initiated a precedent-setting initiative in order to enhance the capabilities of the web-based Water Balance Model for British Columbia. Undertaken in partnership with a number of agencies, the purpose of the Urban Forest Research Project was to quantify the proportion of rainfall intercepted by the tree canopy in an urban forest,” states Dr. Hans Schreier of the University of British Columbia.
“It is exciting how quickly this project came together,” observed the District’s Richard Boase at the time. “It was only 12 months ago that we had our first meeting with Dr. Hans Schreier and Dr. Markus Weiler of UBC to initiate development of the Tree Canopy Module. At the time we discussed the strategic importance of a long-term relationship between the University and the Water Balance Model Partnership. Well, we have made it happen thanks to Hans Schreier who has been our champion at UBC.”
“Under the current project, we will explore the variables influencing the interception process and hence quantify interception of trees and bushes within an urban environment. In particular, we will focus on the effects of tree density, tree structure and tree species. This research will directly inform urban planning and will be used to populate the Water Balance Model with real data.”
TO LEARN MORE:
To read the complete story posted on the Waterbucket.ca website in August 2006, click on University of British Columbia Undertakes Tree Canopy Research Project to Support Water Balance Model.
