Tree Advisor: A Novel Woody Plant Selection Tool to Support Multifunctional Objectives

Gary Bentrup and Michael G. Dosskey
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Gary Bentrup: USDA National Agroforestry Center, 1945 N. 38th Street, Lincoln, NE 68583-0822, USA
Michael G. Dosskey: USDA National Agroforestry Center, 1945 N. 38th Street, Lincoln, NE 68583-0822, USA

Land, 2022, vol. 11, issue 3, 1-23

Abstract: Purposefully planted trees and shrubs can provide multiple benefits when appropriately planned and designed. Tools to help select species that will function more effectively than other species for ecosystem services, production, and aesthetic purposes are generally lacking. To address this challenge, we developed an interactive plant selection tool entitled Tree Advisor that rates woody species for a wide range of different purposes based on plant attributes. In this prototype decision support tool, 90 species of trees and shrubs are rated for 14 different purposes in the northern and central Great Plains region of the United States. A rating algorithm was developed based on the scientific literature regarding plant functions and related attributes that determine relative performance of a species for each purpose. User input and best practices for developing effective decision support tools informed the tool development process. Based on user feedback, the tool supports multifunctional planning and enables a user to quickly develop a short list of the better species to use which can then be refined by the user based on suitability under local site conditions, commercial availability, and availability of locally adapted cultivars and hybrids. This tool development approach can serve as a model for producing multifunctional woody plant selection tools for other ecoregions.

Keywords: agroforestry; decision support tool; ecosystem services; evidence-based decision making; plant traits; planning tool (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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