Key street tree species selection in urban areas

Abstract

Street trees in cities display a varied pattern that shape the city's physical fabric. This article presented the methodological aspects of a proposed selection process for the key urban street tree species. The process of this study was twofold: i¬rst it was aimed at selecting the appropriate tree species through field trip and data analysis of the street trees in streets and parks of the natural secondary forests, the ancient and famous trees in Hefei. Secondly, a selection among alternative tree species in the inventory was made using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method and the expert knowledge approach. In the methodology, the weights of the selection criteria were determined by pair-wise comparison matrices of AHP. The priority ranking of the selection trees depended on expert evaluation of the comprehensive quality of the trees. Based on the use of subjective and objective data sources, the selection process could be adapted for use in the street tree planning of Hefei, as well as other cities. Key words: Urban tree, street tree, species selection, urban green space, AHP.