Branching Out: An urban systems approach to evaluating the environmental and socioeconomic benefits of street trees in Cambridge, Massachusetts as a method of developing sustainable, resilient cities.

Abstract

An urban systems approach was developed to evaluate the annual benefits ($/year) of street trees in Cambridge, MA. The environmental factors (calculated using iTree Canopy) considered were air pollution (NO2, SO2, O3, CO, PM2.5 and PM10) flux from deposition on tree canopies, avoided stormwater runoff, carbon sequestration and storage potential and energy savings from evapotranspiration. Socioeconomic factors calculated and discussed were the benefits to property value, mental and physical health and wellness, cognitive function, healthcare. The politics of race, economics and history in Cambridge and the cost of green gentrification. The total annual value of all 36549 trees in Cambridge was evaluated to be $45,700,000/year (Environmental: $1,310,000/year, Socioeconomic: $44,400,000/year).