Getting to the Root of It: A Case Study of Street Tree Metrics in the West Side of Wilmington, Delaware

• Hannah Basha, Environmental Science, University of Delaware

• Vaishnavi Tripuraneni, Geography and Spatial Sciences, University of Delaware

The spatial and health disparities of street trees in Wilmington, Delaware’s West Side neighborhoods allow for the exploration of urban canopy equity and tree distribution. This study aims to fill a knowledge gap for street trees in Wilmington’s West Side, with hopes of informing the community and benefiting tree code in the future. Tree distribution patterns have been linked to neighborhood housing discrimination and underinvestment, which significantly lower street tree diversity and old growth compared to predominantly wealthier areas. Although previous research has encompassed these patterns in broad geographical locations, the West Side of Wilmington, Delaware remains an area for further assessment. With this focus, a goal of shared knowledge for city officials and community members will lay the groundwork for future street tree management. Data was collected by performing an in-person street tree inventory and health check along three census tracts 14, 22, and 23. The data was logged in the Healthy Trees Healthy Cities web application. A total of approximately 822 street trees were inventoried along 11 streets North to South and 12 streets East to West. The data was mapped according to its coordinates, diameter at breast height, and other tree health metrics for each tree using ArcGIS Pro. The planned analytical method involves spatial overlay of census and demographic data to determine correlation with tree metrics. Creating this baseline data set aims to engage community members and inform urban forestry practices, contributing to the overall goal of improved resident and environmental wellbeing