In summer 2020 Forest Research’s Urban Forest Research Group worked in partnership with Treeconomics and Cambridge City Council to complete a survey of the urban trees in Cambridge.

This i-Tree Eco survey was used to value the ecosystem services provided by Cambridge’s urban trees.

These ecosystem services considered were: carbon capture, rainwater interception and the removal of air pollution. The amenity value of the trees was also determined through CAVAT (Capital Asset Valuation of Amenity Trees).

Due to the unique challenges presented by the global COVID-19 pandemic, this was the first i-Tree Eco study in the UK to rely heavily on volunteer citizen scientists. Information and surveying instructions were sent to homeowners in Cambridge, who surveyed the plots in their gardens.

Surveying was completed during lockdown by homeowners, students from Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge City Council tree officers, Cambridge University staff, and Forest Research.

This work was funded by Cambridge City Council.