Abstract
The environmental benefits of trees are often overlooked by land use planners. This is due to a lack of quantitative information regarding these benefits. In this project, commissioned by American Forests, land use planners were surveyed to assess the use of Geographic Information Systems. American Forests designed a computer software program, CITYgreen, which enables planners to predict the environmental and economic benefits of trees. We concluded that water quality, stormwater / floodplain management, and economic development / growth management were considered a high priority by city and county governments. We recommended that data sets included in CITYgreen be stressed more and that other data sets be included.