Urban Forest Quest

Why do this?

To investigate “squirrel habitat” (tree canopy) and other features of your urban forest.

Do You Know...

How much squirrel habitat is on your block?
How many trees there are on your block?
Why trees are important to us and squirrels?

Assignment:

1) Count the Trees

Street trees are trees alongside the curb in the public right-of-way. Count the number of street trees on your block.

Total # of street trees:
Total # of trees in gardens:

2) Measure Trunk Size

Measure the circumference (girth) of the biggest and smallest trees. At around 1.3 meters (or 4.5 ft) up from the ground, measure around the tree’s stem.

Girth of biggest tree: cm
Girth of smallest tree: cm

3) The Leaping Squirrel Test

Check out your block’s street tree canopy by using the distance a squirrel leaps. Squirrels live up in the trees and are safer there than on the ground. Assume squirrels can leap about 2 metres (6 ft or a person’s height) between branches:

Can a squirrel make it from one end of the block to the other and cross the street at least twice, without coming down to the ground?‍

Yes
No