Urban Forest Restoration Cost Modeling: A Seattle Natural Areas Case Study.

摘要

Cities have become more committed to ecological restoration and management activities in urban natural areas. Data about costs are needed for better planning and reporting. The objective of this study is to estimate the costs for restoration activities in urban parks and green space in Seattle, Washington. Stewardship activity data were generated from a new database designed to track restoration efforts of the Green Seattle Partnership, an urban forest restoration group based in Seattle, Washington. Cost data were estimated and combined with activity data to arrive at per-acre costs for invasive removal, planting, monitoring, and trail work performed at restoration events between January 1, 2011, and June 30, 2013. Events where labor was performed by paid contractors were consistently the most costly, but the most productive in terms of acres treated per event. Cost modeling suggests that all else equal, event leader type and steep slopes contribute to greater costs, but costs decline with greater site size and phase of restoration. Limitations of the analysis as well as suggestions for improving restoration and cost data quality are discussed.