Description

Through well designed tree placement, redundant use of simple technologies, and stewardship, trees grow. Over time, they mitigate stormwater flooding and enhance livability. This paper offers insights into precipitation patterns, and how small scale redundancy can help build the urban tree canopy. It is specifically geared toward issues in the Southwest United States and Santa Fe, NM.  Utilizing basic understanding of transpiration, iTree analysis tools and predictive modeling, the notion of trees as suppliers of in-land moisture encourages growing the southwestern urban forest under climate uncertainty conditions.  Simple green infrastructure technologies, which can be implemented with each tree planting, make use of stormwater as the primary water source. Special consideration for protecting wildlife habitat is made by acknowledging intact habitat cores and recognizing where these become fragmented within city limits and outlining county open space.  Supplemental resources, including ArcGIS Story Map, iTree analysis report for 2016-2019 Santa Fe Public Spaces Tree Inventory, Lagunita interpretive poster, and other visual aids help illustrate the concepts in this written paper.  Semi-arid urban canopy growth is possible by guided use of stormwater as a resource.  

Keywords:  Southwest Urban Forestry Design, Santa Fe, New Mexico, Trees, Stormwater, Habitat, Urban Hubs, Green Infrastructure, Lagunitas, Scoritos.  Semi-arid, Southwest United States, Seeds of Wisdom, LLC.