Vegetation Assessment and Arboretum Plan, Texas State University-San Marcos

1. Vegetation Assessment and Arboretum Plan, Texas State University-San Marcos

2. Team Members Project Manager Kyle Beesley Assistant Project Manager Jeremy Soules Analysts Sean Brugo, Nick Pantuso, Katie Snipes, and Matt Noble

3. Introduction • Our study has identified areas that are ideal for: • Landscaping improvement • The creation of a campus wide arboretum • Increase of native trees • Planned areas with pre-placed sitting areas and vegetation

4. Data • Sidewalk • DOQ’s [(Digital Orthophoto Quadrangles)/(air photos)] • Buildings • streets • DEM, Digital Elevation Model • Trees • Soils • Green space -both primary and secondary

5. Data • Data collection included the acquisition of datasets from secondary sources and the creation of new map layers through primary data collection and digitization. • Data processing consisted of the standardization of all layer projections.

6. Methods • DEM -slope -aspect • Reclassification

8. ReclassifiedSlope

9. Aspect

10. Reclassified Aspect

11. Calculation • All three raster layers evaluated • Output represents all cells with ratings of two or above • New layer was intersected with existing green space layer

12. Calculated Selection

13. Digitized Green Space

14. Intersection Results

15. Soils Graded on: • Drainage • Plant sustainability • Permeability • Water capacity • Soil Reaction • Organic content

16. Soils

17. Reclassified Soil

18. Tree Population Density • Density was derived from: • Total tree population • Native tree population • Non-native tree population

19. Total Tree Density

20. Native Tree Density

21. Non-native Tree Density

22. Statisitics • Statistical analyses for: • Total tree population • Individual areas • Frequencies included: • Species • Nativity

23. Results • Found nine suitable sites • Planned out three sites with trees, paths, and picnic tables

24. Trees • Over 3500 trees cataloged • Over 63 species • 78.6 % of the trees on campus are of native origin • 21.4 % are introduced

25. Planned Areas • Based on our analyses we were able to chose the best of these sites. • New tree locations • Picnic tables • New paths

26. Key to Selected Areas

27. Area 3 Plan

28. Key to Selected Areas

29. Area 7 Plan

30. Key to Selected Areas

31. Area 9 Plan

32. Tree List • Juglandaceae • Black Hickory • Hippocastancaea • Texas Buckeye, Red Buckeye • Aceeraceae • Box Elder, Bigtooth Maple • Ulmaceae • Sugarberry, Netleaf Hackberry, American Elm • Sapindaceae • Chittamwood, Western Soapberry • Rhamnaceae • Carolina Buckthorn • Fagaceae • Escarpment Live Oak, Bur Oak, Chinkapin Oak, Bigelow Oak, Post Oak, Texas Red Oak • Platanaceae • Sycamore • Salicaceae • Eastern Cottonwood, Plains Cottonwood, Black Willow • Rosaceae • Reverchon Hawthorn, Littlehip Hawthorn, Green Hawthorn, Mexican Plum, Munson Plum • Leguminosae • Huisache, Texas Redbud, Honey Locust • Anacardiaceae • Texas Pistache, Praire Flameleaf Sumac • Oleaceae • Green Ash, Texas Ash • Aquifoliaceae • Possum Haw • Moraceae • Bois d'Arc, Texas Mulberry, Red Mulberry • Caprifoliaceae • Rusty Blackhaw • Endangered • Hinckley's Oak, Black Walnut, Texas Snowbells, Walker's Manioc

33. Discussion • GIS applications make this kind of planning more efficient and accurate. • This project is complimentary to the Campus Master Plan.

34. Discussion • Future research might include: • Analysis of underground water, sewage, communications and cooling systems • 3-D visualization • Higher levels of accuracy

35. Website

36. Conclusion • With this study we were: • able to conduct a study of this area that discovered suitable sites for a campus-wide arboretum • able to give a comprehensive view of the growing conditions in our study area • compliment the Campus Master Plan