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Research ArticleArticles

A Benefit-Cost Analysis of Ten Street Tree Species in Modesto, California, U.S.

E. Gregory McPherson
Arboriculture & Urban Forestry (AUF) January 2003, 29 (1) 1-8; DOI: https://doi.org/10.48044/jauf.2003.001
E. Gregory McPherson
Center for Urban Forest Research, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, C/O Dept. of Environmental Horticulture, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, U.S.,
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  • Figure 1.
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    Figure 1.

    Distribution of tree numbers among species by dbh class.

  • Figure 2.
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    Figure 2.

    Distribution of average annual per-tree benefits (top) and costs (bottom) among species by dbh class.

  • Figure 3.
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    Figure 3.

    Distribution of benefit-cost ratios (BCR) among species by dbh class.

Tables

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    Table 1.

    Tree numbers, locations, and average annual number of visits and hours spent performing tree work.

    SpeciesNo. treesFront yard %Parkway %Cutout% Visits/yrHours/yr
    Hackberry4,45487.012.30.71,2331,266
    Camphor1,27674.520.84.6207127
    Modesto ash8,02495.63.60.91,9653,405
    Ginkgo3,46259.79.331.1515400
    Sweetgum2,89290.92.66.59281,366
    Southern magnolia92833.86.060.2218165
    Pistache10,19972.516.910.62,9462,464
    Plane2,03825.655.518.8272136
    Pear*7,26581.45.613.01,8501,323
    Zelkova5,19091.57.70.81,152954
    Totals45,72811,28611,606
    • ↵*56% Bradford, 28% Aristocrat, 9% Capital, 7% other.

    • View popup
    Table 2.

    Average annual benefits in dollars (U.S.) per tree.

     EnergyAir qualityCO2StormwaterAestheticsTotal
    Hackberry118.3019.827.058.2327.69181.09
    Camphor54.297.622.856.7111.2982.75
    Modesto ash97.8352.617.6711.195.67174.96
    Ginkgo51.512.795.433.2735.1898.18
    Sweetgum79.8810.166.295.2431.38132.95
    Southern magnolia79.442.422.812.796.1593.61
    Pistache65.3110.272.823.3411.0392.76
    Plane136.7625.764.807.5911.33186.24
    Pear34.002.981.951.4714.1954.59
    Zelkova89.258.264.693.3718.47124.05
    • View popup
    Table 3.

    Average annual costs in dollars per tree.

     PruneRemovePlantRoot-relatedStorm/liabilityIPM/otherTotal
    Hackberry29.301.430.010.880.760.2932.67
    Camphor8.341.781.050.14—0.0911.40
    Modesto ash45.220.830.011.430.370.9348.80
    Ginkgo6.563.422.180.750.240.1413.28
    Sweetgum49.700.900.032.140.620.9254.31
    Southern magnolia17.381.130.030.950.700.1920.38
    Pistache25.061.540.390.440.190.1627.78
    Plane6.140.590.510.270.020.137.66
    Pear18.551.270.200.530.260.1220.94
    Zelkova16.012.600.781.090.420.2421.14
    • View popup
    Table 4.

    Average annual pruning costs and their distribution by type (GP < 20 is general pruning of trees < 20 cm dbh, where GP includes crown cleaning, thinning, and reduction).

     % visited$/visit$/tree% of total pruning expenditure
    TrainRaiseOtherGP < 20GP 20-46GP > 46
    Hackberry23.8123290.17.17.76.650.028.5
    Camphor11.47382.516.610.121.340.78.9
    Modesto ash20.0226450.00.69.20.10.289.9
    Ginkgo8.57771.321.627.721.827.40.2
    Sweetgum25.1198500.02.115.82.245.834.1
    Southern magnolia20.087170.125.624.512.737.10.0
    Pistache24.7102250.48.018.813.359.40.0
    Plane9.86361.011.211.329.821.125.6
    Pear21.288190.76.914.827.450.20.0
    Zelkova15.3104160.410.39.629.248.81.6
    • View popup
    Table 5.

    Average annual per-tree benefits, costs, net benefits, and benefit-cost ratios.

    SpeciesBenefitCostNet benefitB/C
    Plane186.247.66178.5724.3
    Ginkgo98.1813.2884.907.4
    Camphor82.7511.4071.367.3
    Zelkova124.0521.14102.915.9
    Hackberry181.0932.67148.425.5
    Southern magnolia93.6120.3873.234.6
    Modesto ash174.9648.80126.163.6
    Pistache92.7627.7864.983.3
    Pear54.5920.9433.652.6
    Sweetgum32.9554.3178.642.4
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Arboriculture & Urban Forestry (AUF): 29 (1)
Arboriculture & Urban Forestry (AUF)
Vol. 29, Issue 1
January 2003
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A Benefit-Cost Analysis of Ten Street Tree Species in Modesto, California, U.S.
E. Gregory McPherson
Arboriculture & Urban Forestry (AUF) Jan 2003, 29 (1) 1-8; DOI: 10.48044/jauf.2003.001

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A Benefit-Cost Analysis of Ten Street Tree Species in Modesto, California, U.S.
E. Gregory McPherson
Arboriculture & Urban Forestry (AUF) Jan 2003, 29 (1) 1-8; DOI: 10.48044/jauf.2003.001
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